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| ‘Fog of war’ masks civilian casualties: Airstrike deaths up at least 82% in 2017 | ‘Fog of war’ masks civilian casualties: Airstrike deaths up at least 82% in 2017 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 15,000 civilians were killed by explosive weapons in 2017, a 42 percent increase on last year, while deaths by airstrikes increased by 82 percent, a new study by Action on Armed Violence has found. | More than 15,000 civilians were killed by explosive weapons in 2017, a 42 percent increase on last year, while deaths by airstrikes increased by 82 percent, a new study by Action on Armed Violence has found. |
| The research shows that, while official stats on civilian casualties are on the rise, they’re still modest in comparison to the “true figures.” | |
| “The US has a habit of assuming all fighting-aged men are, in fact, fighters...This is the hammer that the US uses to establish the truth in war,” the organization’s Executive Director Iain Overton told RT. | “The US has a habit of assuming all fighting-aged men are, in fact, fighters...This is the hammer that the US uses to establish the truth in war,” the organization’s Executive Director Iain Overton told RT. |
| Much of the increase is due to the battles to retake Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) strongholds in Mosul, Iraq and Raqqa, Syria. The Syrian conflict and the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen also accounted for a large proportion of civilian deaths. | Much of the increase is due to the battles to retake Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) strongholds in Mosul, Iraq and Raqqa, Syria. The Syrian conflict and the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen also accounted for a large proportion of civilian deaths. |
| The survey, found 8,932 civilians were killed by air-launched explosives in the first 11 months of 2017, compared to 4,902 during the same period in 2016. | The survey, found 8,932 civilians were killed by air-launched explosives in the first 11 months of 2017, compared to 4,902 during the same period in 2016. |
| “At least 60 countries around the world saw explosive weapons being used last year,” Action on Armed Violence’s Executive Director Iain Overton told RT. | “At least 60 countries around the world saw explosive weapons being used last year,” Action on Armed Violence’s Executive Director Iain Overton told RT. |
| “We have always acknowledged that our data would likely represent a lower figure of total civilians killed or injured than might actually be the case,” Overton said. “This is particularly true when there is a single fatality or wounding, and particularly in under-reporting of those injured by a bomb blast.” | “We have always acknowledged that our data would likely represent a lower figure of total civilians killed or injured than might actually be the case,” Overton said. “This is particularly true when there is a single fatality or wounding, and particularly in under-reporting of those injured by a bomb blast.” |
| “When the fog of war descends casualty figures often fall short – both because they become highly politicized and because accurate reporting is often a casualty of war itself,” he added. | “When the fog of war descends casualty figures often fall short – both because they become highly politicized and because accurate reporting is often a casualty of war itself,” he added. |
| READ MORE: US Raqqa offensive killing more civilians than claimed – airstrike monitor | READ MORE: US Raqqa offensive killing more civilians than claimed – airstrike monitor |
| In the case of President Donald Trump’s “Mother of All Bombs” dropped in Afghanistan in March, officials claimed 92 IS fighters had been killed. “When an enormous conventional bomb, the likes of which the world has never seen, is dropped, the blast will effectively wipe out evidence of whether someone was a fighter or a civilian.” Overton said. | In the case of President Donald Trump’s “Mother of All Bombs” dropped in Afghanistan in March, officials claimed 92 IS fighters had been killed. “When an enormous conventional bomb, the likes of which the world has never seen, is dropped, the blast will effectively wipe out evidence of whether someone was a fighter or a civilian.” Overton said. |
| “The world’s media has seen a radical decline in foreign correspondents and paid staffers in recent years,” Overton explains. “In addition, there are some no-go zones for many journalists as they could be kidnapped or executed. These two fundamental realities challenge on-the-ground reporting more than ever.” | “The world’s media has seen a radical decline in foreign correspondents and paid staffers in recent years,” Overton explains. “In addition, there are some no-go zones for many journalists as they could be kidnapped or executed. These two fundamental realities challenge on-the-ground reporting more than ever.” |
| Action on Armed Violence monitored English language wire reports of incidents to gather its data. These numbers are higher than those provided by government officials, but more modest than those compiled by other monitoring groups, including Airwars. | Action on Armed Violence monitored English language wire reports of incidents to gather its data. These numbers are higher than those provided by government officials, but more modest than those compiled by other monitoring groups, including Airwars. |
| The UK-based group monitors deaths in Iraq and Syria. It found that civilian deaths caused by US-led operations against IS was between 11,000-18,000. | The UK-based group monitors deaths in Iraq and Syria. It found that civilian deaths caused by US-led operations against IS was between 11,000-18,000. |
| “In total, 1,751 people were killed or injured in explosive violence in Yemen in the first 11 months of 2017,” Overton told RT. “This is, however, likely to be a shortfall of the true figures owing to the issues of accurate reporting being scarce on the ground there.” | “In total, 1,751 people were killed or injured in explosive violence in Yemen in the first 11 months of 2017,” Overton told RT. “This is, however, likely to be a shortfall of the true figures owing to the issues of accurate reporting being scarce on the ground there.” |