Al-Khan massacre
The Al-Khan massacre was a massacre committed by the United States Air Force in the Syrian village of al-Khan, near Al-Hawl, in Al-Hasakah Governorate during an offensive by US backed forces in the area. The massacre was carried out as part of the American-led intervention in Syria. At least 36 civilians, including 20 children, were killed.[1][2][3]
Background
The American-led intervention in Syria has been ongoing since 22 September 2014, after the United States intervened in the Syrian Civil War against the Islamic State. Since the 31 October, military operations were ongoing near the village, near Al-Hawl, in Al-Hasakah Governorate, as the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of anti-ISIL militias led by the YPG, attempted to take the area from the Islamic State, supported by US airstrikes.
Since the beginning of the American-led intervention in Syria, independent monitoring group 'Airwars' estimate 1,422 civilians have been killed in airstrikes carried out by the US Air Force, though the overall total could be as high as between 3,181 and 4,267 civilian non-combatant fatalities from 493 separate reported incidents.[4][5]
Attack
The attack occurred on 7 December 2015.