The Department of Defense confirmed two civilian deaths and two injuries resulting from U.S. military operations in 2024, according to its annual report to Congress on civilian harm, released this week.
The deaths occurred during separate incidents in Iraq and Syria under Operation Inherent Resolve. One civilian was killed in a U.S. airstrike near Al Qaim, Iraq, on February 2–3, while another incident at a weapons range near Al-Hasakah, Syria, on February 22 resulted in the death of one child and injuries to two others.
In the Iraq incident, the report states that a nighttime strike “resulted in the death of one adult male civilian.” The family of the deceased has been identified, and the Coalition is “considering offering a condolence or ex gratia payment.”
In Syria, the civilian casualties occurred when three children entered an operational range. One was killed and two others injured. The military attributed the incident to a failure in securing the perimeter and noted that “U.S. forces made immediate changes to the range’s perimeter after the incident to prevent further access.” An ex gratia payment is also being considered in this case.
Under the Pentagon’s guidelines, the military may offer ex gratia payments—compassionate payments not tied to legal liability—for confirmed or probable cases of civilian harm. In 2024, the Department received $3 million in congressional authorization for such payments, though no disbursements had been made as of the report’s release.
In total, the Department of Defense received 27 new reports of civilian harm from 2024 and reassessed 11 incidents from previous years. Of those, only two incidents were confirmed to have resulted in civilian casualties.
The Pentagon also reviewed incidents in Yemen and Africa. While U.S. Central Command received eight reports of civilian harm in Yemen, none were confirmed as credible. Similarly, U.S. Africa Command found no civilian casualties attributable to U.S. operations, despite reviewing multiple reports.
In 2024, the Department also confirmed two civilian deaths and one injury from a 2023 strike near Al Hillah, Iraq, after receiving new information. This reassessment underscores the Pentagon’s stated commitment to revisiting prior cases when new evidence arises.
The report notes that, when conducting assessments, “the Department uses a standard of ‘more likely than not,’” which is a lower threshold than that required for legal proceedings. It also highlights the department’s outreach to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and local communities to improve data collection and harm assessments.
While confirmed civilian casualty figures remain low compared to previous years, advocacy groups and outside monitors have long criticized the Pentagon’s methods for undercounting civilian harm, particularly in areas with limited on-the-ground access. The department notes that many reports received in 2024 are still under review.
The full report, submitted to Congress under tthe National Defense Authorization Act, is part of a broader effort to improve accountability and reduce harm to civilians in conflict zones.
