Annual report – 2023/24
Airwars’ annual report for September 2023-August 2024. The report includes key developments, findings and work from the research, investigations and policy departments, with a foreword by Director Emily Tripp.
Analysis: US declares its military actions worldwide killed no civilians in 2022
The US has declared that its military actions in 2022 resulted in no civilians killed or injured, the first such release since a landmark policy intended to overhaul American practices and approaches to civilian harm across the globe.
Reported White Helmets incidents in earthquake affected areas, Syria, 2023
This is a joint Airwars and White Helmets project, mapping all White Helmets first responder incidents in the months following the February 2023 earthquake that levelled homes across Syria and Turkey. A small number incidents in frontline areas in February were identified by Airwars teams. The basemap contains earthquake intensity data from USGS Earthquake Hazards
Methodology note: Civilian harm from explosive weapons use in Gaza
Overview This overview is intended to accompany the publication of our incidents of civilian harm related to the use of explosive weapons in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. Airwars applies the same general methodology to all conflicts monitored, which is available on our website here. This methodology has been assessed as highly conformant
Reported Shahed drone launches in Ukraine: August 2022-September 2023
Impossible standards: An analysis of the US military’s Baghdadi raid review
On the night of October 26, 2019 the US military carried out an operation against ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi in Syria. Local journalists reported the deaths of at least five civilians in the raid. Alongside Baghdadi’s family members and ISIS operatives within the compound, three civilians were reported harmed while passing by the
Methodology note: US Forces in Yemen
This note is intended to accompany the data and findings following our publication of all alleged US actions in Yemen during Obama’s first term 2009-Jan 2013. These are all published as assessments available in our archive. This is the first phase of work, with the second phase covering Obama’s second term, between 2013-17, still undergoing
Документування паттернів завдання шкоди цивільному населенню в Харкові: Методологічна записка
Цей огляд методології супроводжує нашу аналітичну записку “Характер шкоди, завданої цивільному населенню внаслідок дій Росії в Харківській області, згідно з повідомленнями місцевих джерел”, нашу сторінку з інформацією про війну в Україні та архів з детальним описом кожного із закументованих інцидентів з завдання шкоди цивільному населенню. Цей підхід було розроблено під час документування конфліктів у Лівії,
“This is not a small mistake”
Annual report 2022
Airwars annual report for May 2022-May 2023. The report outlines key highlights from the organisation’s research, investigations and advocacy departments over the time period, as well as strategic objectives and basic financial details. It includes a foreword by Airwars’ director Emily Tripp, who took over at the beginning of the time period, and is designed
Характер шкоди, завданої цивільному населенню внаслідок дій Росії в Харківській області згідно з повідомленнями місцевих джерел
В період з 24 лютого по 13 травня 2022 року, під час вторгнення російських військ в Харківську область, від 275 до 438 цивільних осіб загинули внаслідок застосування вибухової зброї. Дослідники “Airwars” задокументували всі повідомлення з відкритих джерел про завдану цивільному населенню шкоду і протягом короткого періоду, відомого як “Битва за Харків”, виявили 200 інцидентів заподіяної
Patterns of civilian harm from alleged Russian actions in Kharkiv oblast
From February 24th to May 13th 2022, between 275 and 438 civilians were alleged to have been killed by explosive weapons when Russian forces invaded the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. Airwars researchers documented all open source accounts of civilian harm, identifying 200 harm incidents during the short period known as the ‘Battle of Kharkiv’. Alongside
Documenting patterns of harm in Kharkiv: Methodology note
This overview is intended to accompany our Research Brief ‘Patterns of civilian harm from alleged Russian actions in Kharkiv oblast’, our conflict overview page, and our archive. This approach was originally developed as we documented conflicts across Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and the Gaza Strip, and closely aligns with global standards on Casualty Recording.
Civilian harm in the Battle of Kharkiv
As part of our on-going research mapping the human cost of war in urban environments, the following visualisation demonstrates all civilian casualty allegations in the densely populated city of Kharkiv between February 24th to May 13th 2022. Airwars documented 68 incidents of civilian harm reported by local sources in Kharkiv city during the intense campaign,
Reported civilian deaths from Israeli Military strikes in the Gaza Strip, May 2021
Due to large variations in the quality of reporting, Airwars provisionally grades allegations of civilian harm using a standardised methodology across all belligerents and conflicts. The five categories are explained in full on our Methodology page. Individual events are recorded in the Civilian Casualties pages.
UK airstrikes that harmed militants in Iraq and Syria 2014–2021
US airstrikes fell to historic low in 2022, despite fresh operations
In the second year of President Joe Biden’s administration, the number of US airstrikes fell to an historic low as some military engagements appeared to take a different form — with the redeployment of US forces to Somalia and a shift towards targeted raids on Islamic State figures in Syria. The overall number of declared
Mapping urban warfare
This is the latest visualisation in our series ‘mapping urban warfare‘, where we explore how explosive weapons affect civilians in populated areas – in line with a new political declaration restricting their use, signed by over 80 states. Spotlight on the Gaza Strip Produced in partnership with the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), the map
Mapping urban warfare
These maps are the first in a series of visualisations Airwars is presenting ahead of a new political declaration that calls on states to better protect civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. By matching neighbourhood population density – which also usually coincides with high levels of civilian infrastructure – with Airwars’
The Credibles
Following more than three years of extensive engagement with US military officials, Airwars has secured the precise locations of all but four of the 344 publicly confirmed (‘Credible’) Coalition civilian harm events in the war against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria, which between them represent the great majority of at least 1,410 conceded civilian deaths according to CJTFOIR
US-led Coalition air strikes on ISIS in Iraq & Syria, 2014-2018
Between August 8th 2014 and December 16th 2018, the US-led Coalition declared the dates and nearest large population centres for 30,801 air and artillery strikes in Iraq and Syria against so-called Islamic State. Airwars has tracked and mapped every known strike. Despite hundreds more later actions, the Coalition stopped publicly reporting where or when it was bombing.
Coalition air-released munitions in Iraq and Syria 2014-2020
The graph models official data from Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) which reflects air-released munitions by the international allies during the war against so-called Islamic State. It does not include artillery or rocket strikes. In March 2020, AFCENT signalled an end to the release of this data.
Declared US-led Coalition air and artillery strikes in Iraq and Syria
The term strike refers both to air and artillery actions. Please note that according to the US-led Coalition against ISIS, a single strike might at times involve multiple aircraft, munitions released and locations.
Reported civilian deaths from US-led Coalition strikes in Iraq and Syria
Due to large variations in the quality of reporting, Airwars provisionally grades allegations of civilian harm using a standardised methodology across all belligerents and conflicts. The five categories are explained in full on our Methodology page. Individual events are recorded in the Civilian Casualties pages.
Declared and alleged US actions in Somalia
Most US actions in Somalia are carried out by US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and are publicly declared by press release. However US military ground operations are not routinely reported – and CIA strikes are officially neither confirmed nor denied. In addition, there are some actions in Somalia where the belligerent is presently contested (eg possibly
Declared and alleged US actions in Yemen
US actions in Yemen are carried out both by US Central Command (CENTCOM) and by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). While CENTCOM publicly declares some of its actions, others remain secret. CIA strikes are officially neither confirmed nor denied. In addition, there are some actions in Yemen where the belligerent is presently contested (eg possibly
Pentagon annual report admits 12 deaths resulting from US actions in 2021
The Pentagon’s annual report to Congress, released yesterday, on civilian deaths and injuries resulting from US military actions in Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq and Syria has declared responsibility for 12 deaths and five injuries in 2021. All 12 deaths conceded were in Afghanistan; injuries were reported resulting from actions in both Somalia and Afghanistan. While these
Strikes by US President in Somalia
President George W. Bush began a long running and controversial campaign against Islamist terrorists in Somalia, which several of his successors then continued. Drone strikes and other actions were conducted both by the US military and by the CIA. By the end of President Trump’s term in office in 2021, more than 340 declared and
Civilian Deaths by US President in Somalia
President George W. Bush began a long running and controversial campaign against Islamist terrorists in Somalia, which his successors then continued. Drone strikes and other actions were conducted both by the US military and by the CIA. By the end of President Trump’s term in office in 2021, local communities had alleged some 330 non
Civilian Deaths by US President in Iraq and Syria
The United States and its 13 kinetic allies – part of an international alliance usually known as the Coalition – began an extensive air and artillery campaign against so-called Islamic State in August 2014, after the terror group had occupied large parts of of Iraq and Syria. By the end of President Trump’s term in