The Pentagon has acknowledged that as many as 64 civilians had been killed in Syria and Iraq as a result of US air raids. According to Reuters, it goes about the victims of 24 different air strikes conducted between 20 November 2015 and 10 September 2016.
Five civilians were killed in the vicinity of Deir ez-Zor in Syria in November of 2015. On March 5, a US airstrike near Mosul killed ten civilians. Earlier, the US would persistently accuse Russia of civilians casualties.
Pravda.Ru asked an expert opinion on the subject from Chairman of the Islamic Committee, Islamic public figure and political scientist Jemal Geidar.
"Why do we hear such a statement from the Pentagon now?"
"I think this is a propaganda move in order to add more weight to accusations against Russia, to demonstrate two-sided objectivity. After the United States admits to killing civilians, accusations against Russia will look more convincing."
"It turns out that up to 90% of victims of US airstrikes are civilians. Will there be any consequences?"
"Civilians always suffer to a much greater extent than participants of combat actions. This has always been a trend in all guerrilla warfares and smaller wars that the world has seen after 1945. The number of civilian victims during World War II was a lot larger than the losses among military men.
"Germany, for example, had civilian losses several times the losses in eastern and western fronts. Therefore, civilians today are doomed to suffering and death, because they are unable to withstand air strikes or artillery attacks.
"We could see it recently in the military actions in Ukraine. It's always the case. Therefore, the statement from the United States is only a propaganda move. When you admit your mistakes, then accusations against your opponent appear more weighty and respectable."
"Is it going to change when Trump comes to power?"
"I do not think he has been able to take control of the information policy," the expert told Pravda.Ru.
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