United States military commanders have spoken out about Thursday’s errant airstrike attack that killed more than 200 civilians in Mosul. Truthdig reports that the military leaders confess that they may have played a role in the civilian death, despite criticism from Iraqi’s Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi.
The Prime Minister has spoken out against the critics, claiming that those that cry out about the death of civilians is simply looking for a way to save what is left of ISIS’ holds.
“We are fighting on several fronts–military and economic and anti-corruption. We are steadfast and will overcome. We will not turn back, however fierce the smear campaigns become. No one can monopolize that victory for his own benefit,” Abadi told a group of reporters this week. “No one is more zealous than we are in protecting civilians, and from the beginning of this liberation struggle we affirmed that we would liberate human beings before territory.”
The Iraqi government is investigating the explosion that rocked the country’s capital city. However, the country’s leaders seem to side with the U.S. military.
The Pentagon has promised to release video of the Islamic State gathering up civilians into a building, where they then began to fire at American troops. This video is said to help hush the critics and help the U.S. military’s case. However, military leaders find it outrageous that American airstrikes are being scrutinized
Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the senior U.S. commander in Iraq, told reporters by teleconference on Tuesday spoke about his disappointment.
”ISIS is slaughtering Iraqis and Syrians on a daily basis. ISIS is cutting off heads. ISIS is shooting people," he said.