MANILA, Philippines — Human rights advocacy group Karapatan claimed an American soldier was killed during the Mamasapano operation on January 25 in Maguindanao province.
Members of the group's fact-finding team asked residents of communities affected by the operation and alleged that at least one United States serviceman was killed during the clash between the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters.
Many of the civilians interviewed by the Karapatan fact-finding team alleged that that drones twinkled the night before the carnage happened.
"It is the US government who has drones and uses them on their targets," Karapatan secretary general Marie Hilao- Enriquez said, noting the testimonies of the residents in the area bolstered the claim that drones were used in the operation.
The group's fact-finding mission said that during the operation, the police commandos indiscriminately fired around 4 a.m. January 25 at a house where an eight-year-old girl was instantly killed.
Aside from the minor, 18-year-old Badrudin Langalan was tied up and killed by the SAF troopers while on his way to Tukanalipao proper to charge his cellular phone, the group said.
"The truth about the culpability of both President Aquino and the US governments is clear. Aquino should stop foot-dragging and start owning up his responsibility in the carnage," Hilao-Enriquez.
The SAF troopers were in the area to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and his Filipino accomplice, Basit Usman.