Research

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

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134 posts
25 Oct, 2020
Policy, Research
Iraq, Syria

Seeing through the rubble: Airwars and PAX launch joint report

Airwars and PAX have published a new joint report, Seeing Through The Rubble, examining the dire and long-lasting effects of explosive weapons on civilian populations in urban areas in recent international military campaigns in Mosul, Raqqa and Hawijah. The report calls upon States to develop and support an international political declaration to better protect civilians against […]
7 Aug, 2020
Update
Iraq

Six years after the war against ISIS began, where now for Iraqis?

On the fateful evening of August 7th 2014, then-US President Barack Obama gave a live address to the nation announcing the beginning of military actions in Iraq against so-called Islamic State (also known as ISIS and Daesh), ushering in a new era of US involvement. The following day, US Navy F-18 Hornet fighters launched the […]
7 Jul, 2020
Policy
Iraq

Dutch defence minister announces fresh transparency moves

The Dutch Minister of Defence, Ank Bijleveld, has reported to Parliament on the latest progress made by the Government in improving transparency regarding civilian harm as a result of Dutch military actions. Coupled with other steps taken in the months after the Hawijah scandal, the Netherlands appears slowly to be shedding its reputation as one […]
11 Feb, 2020
Policy
Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Türkiye, Yemen

Airwars annual report: over 2,200 civilians claimed killed in 2019

Airwars research shows that at least 2,214 civilians were locally alleged killed by international military actions across Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Somalia during 2019 – a 42% decrease in minimum claimed deaths on the previous year. This sharp fall was largely because deaths from reported US-led Coalition actions plummeted following the territorial defeat of ISIS […]
6 Feb, 2020
Policy
Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria

Dutch F-16 pilots break their silence on airstrikes and civilian harm

  “After a few months, it turned out that it had indeed been a wrong target. An error had been made in the intelligence process. Instead of being an ISIS target, it turned out to just be a house. A mix-up in targets. You think: shit, it’s not possible, is it? I felt sick when […]
7 Aug, 2019
Update
Iraq, Syria

Five years of war and ISIS is defeated as a territorial entity – but civilian deaths remain largely uncounted

The fifth anniversary of the international war against so-called Islamic State has seen the total defeat of the terrorist group as a territorial entity in both Iraq and Syria. Now degraded to insurgency, the US and its allies try to contain the jihadist organisation. However, after five years of fighting the cost to civilians on […]
16 Jul, 2019
Update
Iraq, Syria

New Airwars study finds major challenges in US media coverage of civilian harm

Despite a significant majority of almost 100 surveyed journalists believing that the reporting of civilian casualties remains critical to broader war coverage, major US news organisations have too often failed properly to report on the issue during the five year conflict against so-called Islamic State. That’s the key finding of a major new Airwars study […]
10 May, 2019
Research

Airwars monthly assessment – March 2019

Conflict monitoring After 56 months of war, March finally saw the defeat of ISIS as a territorial entity when the town of Al Baghouz in Deir Ezzor governorate fell to Coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on March 23rd. However, this final intense month of fighting came at what appeared to be significant cost to civilians on […]
1 May, 2019
Update
Iraq, Syria

France’s war without accountability

On May 16th 2017, Sajid Ahmed Sajid and his brother Amer Ahmad Sajid, two men in their fifties and each with a salt and pepper beard, were killed by a bomb that struck their house in the well-to-do neighbourhood of Al-Najjar in West Mosul, according to locals and local media. The Coalition’s public account of […]
25 Apr, 2019
Update
Iraq, Syria

At least 1,600 civilians died in US-led Coalition actions at Raqqa, major new study finds

A major new study by Amnesty International and Airwars has concluded that at least 1,600 civilians died in Coalition strikes on the city of Raqqa in 2017 during the battle to evict so-called Islamic State – ten times the number of fatalities so far conceded by the US-led alliance, which had admitted 159 deaths to […]
30 Nov, 2018
Research

Airwars monthly assessment – October 2018

Conflict monitoring Airwars tracked no locally reported claims of civilian harm in Syria from Russian actions during October – the first such month since Moscow first intervened three years previously. US-led Coalition strikes against ISIS continued however, with a significant and troubling rise in reported civilian harm in eastern Syria. October saw a near tripling […]
7 Nov, 2018
Research

Airwars monthly assessment – September 2018

Conflict monitoring In September 2018, civilian harm remained at low levels from both international and domestic belligerents in the three conflict areas which Airwars presently monitors. Eight civilian harm events were attributed the US-led Coalition in Syria – the same number as in the previous month. While events reportedly involving Russia in Syria rose steeply, […]
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.
24 Sep, 2018
Update

Report: Airwars urges UK to improve accountability for civilian harm in Battles of Mosul and Raqqa

Despite being the most transparent among anti-ISIS Coalition members, non-admission of urban civilian casualties by UK is deemed unrealistic in new parliamentary report.
24 Sep, 2018
Update
Iraq, Syria

Report: Airwars urges UK to improve accountability for civilian harm in Battles of Mosul and Raqqa

Despite being the most transparent among anti-ISIS Coalition members, non-admission of urban civilian casualties by UK is deemed unrealistic in new parliamentary report.
8 Aug, 2018
Update

Four years of war and ISIS is almost defeated – but at what cost?

The fourth anniversary of the international war against ISIS sees the terror group almost defeated - though many thousands of civilians have died in the heavy fighting.
8 Aug, 2018
Update
Iraq, Syria

Four years of war and ISIS is almost defeated – but at what cost?

The fourth anniversary of the international war against ISIS sees the terror group almost defeated - though many thousands of civilians have died in the heavy fighting.
5 Jun, 2018
Update
Iraq, Syria

Amnesty says US-led Coalition likely violated international law at Raqqa

Investigators traveled to Raqqa and spoke with more than 100 witnesses and victims, with their report highlighting the deaths of dozens of members of just four families.
5 Jun, 2018
Update

Amnesty says US-led Coalition likely violated international law at Raqqa

Investigators traveled to Raqqa and spoke with more than 100 witnesses and victims, with their report highlighting the deaths of dozens of members of just four families.
24 May, 2018
Research

Airwars monthly assessment: April 2018

Civilian fatalities from international military actions in both Iraq and Syria were at record low levels during April.
24 May, 2018
Update

Airwars monthly assessment: April 2018

Civilian fatalities from international military actions in both Iraq and Syria were at record low levels during April.
3 May, 2018
Update
Iraq, Syria

UK admits an anti-ISIS civilian casualty for the first time

After nearly four years of strikes the UK has finally admitted to a single civilian casualty
3 May, 2018
Update

UK admits an anti-ISIS civilian casualty for the first time

After nearly four years of strikes the UK has finally admitted to a single civilian casualty
5 Apr, 2018
Update
Iraq, Syria

Counting the dead in Mosul

Thousands of civilians were killed during the battle for Mosul, but there is no official death toll.
5 Apr, 2018
Update

Counting the dead in Mosul

Thousands of civilians were killed during the battle for Mosul, but there is no official death toll.
29 Mar, 2018
Update
Iraq, Syria

Australia admits killing two civilians during battle for Mosul

Australia remains the only American ally to admit any civilian harm after almost four years of strikes
29 Mar, 2018
Update

Australia admits killing two civilians during battle for Mosul

Australia remains the only American ally to admit any civilian harm after almost four years of strikes
18 Jan, 2018
Update

Airwars annual assessment 2017: civilians paid a high price for major Coalition gains

Civilian deaths from Coalition actions were up by more than 200% in 2017, as the war against ISIS pushed deep into cities
18 Jan, 2018
Research

Airwars annual assessment 2017: civilians paid a high price for major Coalition gains

Civilian deaths from Coalition actions were up by more than 200% in 2017, as the war against ISIS pushed deep into cities
21 Dec, 2017
Update

International airstrikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria – November 2017

With ISIS mostly defeated, Airwars tracked a major fall in reported Coalition civilian casualties in November. Russia remains a problem.