The US military has confirmed that forces in the coalition it leads carried out an air strike in the Iraqi city of Mosul that locals say killed more than 200 civilians, as the death toll from the campaign against Isis rises.
In a statement issued yesterday, US Central Command said that “an initial review of strike data” indicated that the US-led anti-Isis coalition “struck Isis fighters and equipment, March 17, in West Mosul at the location corresponding to allegations of civilian casualties”.
The military added that the strike was at the request of Iraqi security forces and that it was opening an investigation “to determine the facts surrounding this strike and the validity of the allegation of civilian casualties”.