US DoD Admits Killing 132 Civilians in Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan in 2019

The US Department of Defense has owned up to killing 132 civilians and injuring 91 others during its military operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia last year.

In its annual report published earlier today, the Pentagon did not identify any civilian casualties resulting from US military operations in Yemen or Libya. The report is a requirement of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.

"Over the past 19 years, we, alongside our allies and partners, have fought to protect our homeland, liberate millions of people from tyranny and safeguard civilians from terrorism," said James Anderson, who is performing the duties of undersecretary of defense for policy.

"While our forces have taken unprecedented steps to prevent civilian suffering in these conflicts, we recognize that US military operations, at times, inadvertently injure and kill innocent civilians. It is a sobering fact that we take very seriously," he said.

The report emphasizes that US forces take extraordinary efforts to reduce the harmful impact of military operations on civilians. From planning to operations, the military routinely evaluates targets to minimize the potential for civilian casualties.

All reports of civilian casualties, including reports provided by individuals who were present during the operation, including military personnel and local civilians, non-governmental sources, the news media and social media, are taken into account.