In response to news that the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) claims to have killed 4,315 enemy combatants and a single civilian in its operations in Iraq and Syria as part of the US-led coalition -a revelation which came as part of a Freedom of Information request by the UK-based NGO Action on Armed Violence – Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Advisor Donatella Rovera said:
“The UK is claiming to have carried out massive aerial bombing of densely populated cities with virtually zero civilian casualties. This beggars belief and shows just how deeply in denial the MoD actually is over its role in the mass bombing of Mosul and Raqqa.
The UK is claiming to have carried out massive aerial bombing of densely populated cities with virtually zero civilian casualties. This beggars belief and shows just how deeply in denial the MoD actually is over its role in the mass bombing of Mosul and Raqqa.
Donatella Rovera, Senior Crisis Response Adviser
“Australia’s military carried out far fewer strikes than the British, but, under pressure from Amnesty International and others, it has publicly admitted to killing civilians in Iraq. The US-led Coalition has admitted killing hundreds in Iraq and Syria. Why can’t the British own up to their role in this?
“The days in which powerful nations can subject foreign territories to massive bombardment and then refuse to admit and accept responsibility for the civilians that they kill and injure must be consigned to history. Amnesty International reiterates its call on the UK to disclose detailed information about its air strikes, thoroughly investigate allegations of civilian casualties and provide full reparation to victims of violations.”
Amnesty International has carried out in-depth field investigations, interviews with survivors and witnesses in both Raqqa and Mosul, documenting hundreds of cases of civilians killed in Coalition strikes.