Sixty-four civilians were killed and eight were injured in 24 U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria over the past year, the U.S. military said Wednesday, based on newly completed investigations. The latest totals bring the number of civilians killed in airstrikes in the fight against the Islamic State group to 119, with another 37 injured, according to U.S. Central Command. Col. John Thomas, Central Command spokesman, said the investigations concluded that the proper military process was followed in each incident and precautions are always taken to try to avoid any civilian deaths. AIN ISSA: US-backed forces pressed offensives Wednesday on the Islamic State group’s strongholds in Syria and Iraq, as an air strike by the American-led coalition reportedly killed 20 civilians near the Syrian city of Raqa. They don’t include a July airstrike that may have killed 56 civilians near Manbij, Syria, and a September attack that may have killed dozens of Syrian government forces.
The United States military states that it has inadvertently killed 64 civilians in air strikes on targets in Syria and Iraq over the past year.