The U.S. military denied Sunday a report that strikes led by Washington had killed at least 52 civilians in northern Syria earlier this week, saying those killed were actually fighters. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor director Rami Abdel Rahman had told AFP that seven children were among the dead from U.S.-led coalition strikes overnight Thursday into Friday on the village of Birmahle in Aleppo province. He had warned the toll could rise as rescuers were battling to save 13 people trapped under rubble.