'No longer confident' in US - WaPo: Syria strike killed the right man

The Washington Post reported on Thursday that a man killed in a US drone strike in northwestern Syria earlier this month may not have been a senior Al-Qaeda leader as the Pentagon previously claimed. Two unnamed officials cited by the Post raised doubts about the strike, which occurred in a rural area of Idlib Province on May 3. Residents of the Syrian village targeted identified the victim as Lotfi Hassan Misto, a 56-year-old farmer and father of 10. Family members and neighbors insist that Misto had no connection to any militant group. US Central Command spokesman Michael Lawhorn said the military is investigating to determine whether or not the action may have unintentionally resulted in harm to civilians.

When provided with coordinates for the site of the strike, an unnamed defense official told the Post the location is a “known area of interest” to al-Qaeda. Local residents disputed that claim, insisting that terrorists do not live or operate near Misto’s home.