Air campaign against ISIS killed at least 119 civilians, Pentagon says
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – An estimated 119 civilians were killed in the two-and-a-half year old US-led coalition air campaign against ISIS militants in Iraq and Syria, according to figures released by the Pentagon.
The information was released by US Central Command (CENTCOM) after the Pentagon’s latest investigation concluded that 64 civilians were killed and eight were wounded by 24 coalition airstrikes over the last year.
“We have teams who work full time to prevent unintended civilian casualties,” said Col. John Thomas in a CENTCOM press statement released on Wednesday.
“Sometimes civilians bear the brunt of military action but we do all we can to minimize those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time,” he added. “In each of these strikes, the right processes were followed; each complied with Law of Armed Conflict and significant precautions were taken, despite the unfortunate outcome.”
The report states that some civilian casualties that took place between March 5 and September 10 on civilians “entering the target area” after bombs were dropped by coalition aircraft.
The US carries out 80% of the coalition airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
The Pentagon investigation comes shortly after the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights conflict monitor estimated that 680 civilians were killed in Syria alone since the coalition began bombing ISIS there in September 2014.
Last month Amnesty International estimated that about 300 civilians have been killed by coalition airstrikes to date.
The information was released by US Central Command (CENTCOM) after the Pentagon’s latest investigation concluded that 64 civilians were killed and eight were wounded by 24 coalition airstrikes over the last year.
“We have teams who work full time to prevent unintended civilian casualties,” said Col. John Thomas in a CENTCOM press statement released on Wednesday.
“Sometimes civilians bear the brunt of military action but we do all we can to minimize those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time,” he added. “In each of these strikes, the right processes were followed; each complied with Law of Armed Conflict and significant precautions were taken, despite the unfortunate outcome.”
The report states that some civilian casualties that took place between March 5 and September 10 on civilians “entering the target area” after bombs were dropped by coalition aircraft.
The US carries out 80% of the coalition airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
The Pentagon investigation comes shortly after the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights conflict monitor estimated that 680 civilians were killed in Syria alone since the coalition began bombing ISIS there in September 2014.
Last month Amnesty International estimated that about 300 civilians have been killed by coalition airstrikes to date.