Research

All major publications from Airwars’ documentation, research, investigations and policy teams

55 posts
23 Dec, 2019
Research

Airwars monthly assessment – November 2019

November 2019 saw a quadrupling in civilian harm claims against Russia and the regime in Syria
10 Dec, 2019
Research

Airwars monthly assessment – October 2019

More than 200 civilians were locally alleged killed by Turkish and Kurdish military actions in Syria during October. Civilian deaths were also significantly up in Libya.
11 Nov, 2019
Update

Airwars marks five years of tracking civilian harm

November 11th 2019 marks the fifth anniversary of Airwars – the international not for profit which monitors civilian harm on the battlefield, and seeks to reduce conflict casualty numbers. November 11th is recognised globally, as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day and Veterans Day. It was also the date on which the name Airwars was registered by […]
25 Sep, 2019
Update
Libya

Increasing foreign role risks spiralling Libya conflict out of control

Foreign powers are increasingly being drawn into Libya’s civil war – with lethal air strikes reportedly carried out by at least two other nations, and with Libya’s two rival governments both hiring foreign mercenary pilots, and receiving shipments of weapons from abroad. Experts are warning that an internationalising of the conflict may further destabilize the […]
28 Jun, 2019
Research

Airwars monthly assessment – May 2019

Allegations of civilian harm against Moscow were up 300% during May - as Idlib came under fierce attack from the Assad government and its Russian allies.
15 Apr, 2019
Update
Libya

Civilians in peril as rival air forces target Tripoli

A major offensive on the Libyan capital Tripoli by Marshal Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) has already seen dozens of civilians locally reported killed – with the United Nations warning that “Civilian casualties and displacement are expected to increase further given the continued use of air strikes and heavy artillery.” Haftar’s assault on Tripoli – […]
5 Dec, 2018
Update
Libya

US strike kills up to eleven civilians in Libya’s south, locals say

Local reports indicate that up to eleven civilians have been killed in a US precision strike near Al Uwaynat, in the extreme south of Libya close to the Algerian border on November 29th. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has confirmed conducting the strike, originally stating that it had targeted fighters from a regional Al […]
7 Nov, 2018
Update

Airwars monthly assessment – September 2018

Up to 45 civilians were locally alleged killed by Russian airstrikes in Syria during September - with as many as 17 non combatants also claimed killed by US-led Coalition actions.
18 Oct, 2018
Update

Airwars monthly assessment: August 2018

Reported civilian harm in August from both Russian and Coalition actions were at their lowest levels for years, Airwars monitoring shows.
18 Oct, 2018
Research

Airwars monthly assessment: August 2018

Reported civilian harm in August from both Russian and Coalition actions were at their lowest levels for years, Airwars monitoring shows.
6 Sep, 2018
Update
Libya

Tripoli’s people suffer as militias fight for control

The fresh crisis was triggered after the Libyan capital was attacked by the 7th Brigade – a militia previously confined to the nearby city of of Tarhuna, and which is led by a 33 year old field commander. The UN, the EU and the P3+1 group for Libya consisting of France, Italy, the UK and […]
29 Aug, 2018
Update

Airwars monthly assessment: July 2018

Overall, more than 3,700 civilians have been alleged killed in international military actions in Syria so far this year.
29 Aug, 2018
Research

Airwars monthly assessment: July 2018

Overall, more than 3,700 civilians have been alleged killed in international military actions in Syria so far this year.
27 Jul, 2018
Update
Libya

Sirte: The last days of ISIS’s Libya stronghold

So-called Islamic State was ousted from the Libyan city of Sirte in late 2016 by joint US and Government of National Accord forces. Using materials uncovered as part of a major new project tracking airstrikes and civilian harm in Libya, Airwars recounts the rise and fall of the terror organization through the eyes of local […]
25 Jul, 2018
Update

Airwars six monthly assessment: January-June 2018

Reported civilian deaths from Russian actions were up by a third in Syria during the first six months of 2018. While claims against the Coalition were sharply down, several hundred civilians were still likely killed by the US-led alliance.
25 Jul, 2018
Research

Airwars six monthly assessment: January-June 2018

Reported civilian deaths from Russian actions were up by a third in Syria during the first six months of 2018. While claims against the Coalition were sharply down, several hundred civilians were still likely killed by the US-led alliance.
12 Jul, 2018
Update

Airwars monthly assessment: May 2018

Coalition-attributed civilian casualties in Syria were up during May, while those blamed on Russia were sharply down.
12 Jul, 2018
Research

Airwars monthly assessment: May 2018

Coalition-attributed civilian casualties in Syria were up during May, while those blamed on Russia were sharply down.
20 Jun, 2018
Update
Libya

Libya’s lawless skies

A new study of the security situation in Libya between 2012 and 2018 by Airwars and the New America Foundation has identified hundreds of civilians credibly reported killed and injured by domestic and international airstrikes – but with no accountability for those deaths from any belligerent. In total at least 2,162 strikes were identified by […]
20 Jun, 2018
Update
Libya

US discloses more on previously secret Libya airstrikes

Airwars has obtained fresh details regarding four confirmed US airstrikes in Libya in recent months – actions which the US military command AFRICOM had originally chosen not to declare. The four airstrikes – three in late 2017 and one in January of this year – were first admitted in March by the US following queries […]
20 Jun, 2018
Update
Libya

AFRICOM response to reported civilian harm from US airstrikes in Libya

As part of our new Libya monitoring project, Airwars and New America reached out to AFRICOM, the US military command for Africa, highlighting all known alleged civilian casualty events in which US aircraft had been implicated. We also included a list of all reported airstrikes by unknown belligerents between 2012 and 2018, and asked whether […]
22 Feb, 2018
Update

Airwars monthly assessment: January 2018

Turkish and Russian military actions in Syria led to significant civilian casualties - while claims against the Coalition remained at a low level
22 Feb, 2018
Research

Airwars monthly assessment: January 2018

Turkish and Russian military actions in Syria led to significant civilian casualties - while claims against the Coalition remained at a low level
10 Oct, 2016
Update

Airwars boosts its monitoring, reporting and advocacy team

Responding to a steep rise in reported civilian deaths from both Coalition and Russian airstrikes in 2016, Airwars has appointed three new full-time postholders who will help with the organisation’s monitoring, reporting and advocacy work. The trio are New York based investigative reporter Samuel Oakford; UK-based Syria researcher Abdulwahab Tahhan; and Eline Westra, an Amsterdam-based […]
10 Oct, 2016
Update

Airwars boosts its monitoring, reporting and advocacy team

Responding to a steep rise in reported civilian deaths from both Coalition and Russian airstrikes in 2016, Airwars has appointed three new full-time postholders who will help with the organisation’s monitoring, reporting and advocacy work. The trio are New York based investigative reporter Samuel Oakford; UK-based Syria researcher Abdulwahab Tahhan; and Eline Westra, an Amsterdam-based […]