A new report by CNN indicates that the Coalition led by the US to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria has unintentionally killed masses of civilians.
Operation Inherent Resolve, birthed almost three years ago, has been under formal review since American officials were made aware that more and more innocent people were losing their lives as a result of coalition-authorized air and artillery strikes.
The civilian body count continues to rise
Earlier this week, the head of Iraqi civil forces in Mosul told CNN that as of now, 141 bodies have been found there.
The coalition has stated that they are currently reviewing 43 additional reports of innocent deaths- 23 from Iraq, and 20 from Syria. Sources indicate however that 12 of 17 such reports have lacked credibility, which makes sifting though claims and data to find accurate figures that much more difficult. In a statement, the US-led task force said they "regret the unintentional loss of civilian lives resulting from coalition efforts to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria," adding that they express "deepest sympathies to the families and others affected by these strikes."
Avoiding civilian deaths is proving to be difficult
According to reports, the coalition is aware of more than 18,600 artillery or airstrikes having taken place between August of 2014 and early this year.
Officials say one reason for the heightened threat to civilian safety is a new ISIS tactic in which the terrorists force civilians into buildings, using them as human shields. In an interview with CNN, Donatella Rovera, a senior crisis response adviser, indicated that "In a densely populated residential area, the risks for the civilian population become enormous." US Col.
Joseph Scrocca reportedly told CNN correspondents that the US was making adjustments to deal with this new tactic, but officials also stated that although ISIS has started using human shields and the civilian death toll is climbing, coalition forces can't just stop attacking the terrorist organization altogether.
US claims 'values' will make a difference
In a congressional hearing earlier this week, CNN reports that General Joseph Votel of US Central Command said US military leaders hold the key to stopping Civilian Casualties. He asserted that the values of the American military would allow leaders on the ground to make the right decisions where civilians were involved.
