The 2019 incident was concealed by the U.S. military until it was reported in 2021 by the New York Times.[1] Investigation of the case was blocked by the independent inspector general and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.[5] According to the New York Times investigation, senior military officials in Iraq and Florida never reviewed the airstrike, and the investigation technically remained open until the issue was reported by the Times. Representative Adam Smith, Democrat of Washington and the chairman of the panel, said in an email to The New York Times that "Both the incident and the efforts to cover it up are deeply disturbing."[3] The official military tally of civilian dead for 2019 year is only 22 and doesn't include the toll from the 2019 Baghuz attack.[2]