The US military has killed four civilians and injured a woman during a raid in the Raqqa countryside of northeastern Syria.
The victims were shepherds from the Arab tribe of Anaza, sparking significant backlash from the local community.
According to local sources and Sputnik’s correspondent in eastern Syria, the incident occurred during an air raid conducted by the so-called US-led coalition forces in the vicinity of the town of Shnineh.
This area is under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is allied with the US.
Ahmad Al-Anzi, a prominent figure in the Anaza tribe, reported that the raid involved US soldiers and armed SDF members.
The operation began with indiscriminate gunfire targeting the tents and locations of the shepherds, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and the injury of a woman.
The deceased have been identified as Hamad Matar Al-Manhai, Latif Mudhafi Al-Suwaidi, and Mutiari Al-Ghnaimi, all from the Anaza tribe, along with an unidentified fourth person from the Arab Al-Akidat tribe. The body of the latter was taken to the Raqqa National Hospital, which is under SDF control.
Al-Anzi criticized the US forces for leaving the bodies of the deceased in a state of neglect, highlighting that they were unarmed civilians overseeing their flocks.
He emphasized that the victims were not involved in any suspicious activities and accused the SDF of providing inaccurate information. The SDF had claimed that the individuals were linked to ISIS and accused them of monitoring a US-led coalition base in the 17th Division area north of Raqqa.
Al-Anzi further stated that the US and its allied forces in eastern Syria are fabricating excuses and lies about the presence of ISIS cells to justify their ongoing presence in the region.
He asserted that their true motives are to exploit Syrian oil, wheat, and other resources rather than combat terrorism.
