Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke at a Pentagon press briefing on May 20, as captured by Ricky Carioti of The Washington Post.
Lately, rights organizations have been nudging Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to green-light compensation for families affected by U.S. military actions abroad. This push comes as the Biden administration faces a final-hour challenge to fulfill its vow to mend its approach to unintended civilian casualties during military operations.
In a recent appeal to Austin, human rights advocates highlighted that families have waited far too long for answers regarding compensation claims tied to mistaken counterterrorism strikes in places such as Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen.
“They’ve faced loss — losing homes, limbs, and loved ones,” shared Joanna Naples-Mitchell of the Zomia Center, overseeing a reparations program for impacted families. She noted that some airstrikes have robbed families of their sole breadwinners, leaving survivors grappling with lifelong injuries or persistent medical issues.
Maha Khalil Ali experienced such loss when her husband, Ziad Khalaf Awad, fell victim to an American airstrike in 2016 while Mosul served as an Islamic State stronghold amidst a prolonged bombing campaign dating back to 2014.
“This isn’t just about money,” Ali expressed. “It’s about acknowledging the rights of those who’ve lost someone dear.”
Once a seasoned Army general steering counterinsurgency missions in the Middle East, Austin now faces growing calls for action from groups like the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), Airwars, and Human Rights Watch. These groups have spotlighted his pursuit to refine how the U.S. military deals with civilian casualties on the battlefield. As the clock ticks, he has a window of less than two months to achieve these ambitions before the Trump administration assumes charge.
Trump’s appointee for Austin’s replacement, Pete Hegseth, has been known to rally for “more firepower, fewer legalities.”
In an October 31 plea to Austin, these organizations sought prompt resolutions for a shortlist of payment cases where the Department of Defense has validated civilian casualties. Families are waiting, reachable through civil networks, yet compensation remains pending.
“The department has the tools and resources to make these payments happen in due course, from policies to finances to victim documentation,” these groups asserted. “We seek your assertive action to ensure these families don’t fade into oblivion.”
A U.S. defense official, speaking under anonymity, acknowledged the ongoing Pentagon review of the letter but withheld comments on specific claims. This official noted that payments hinge on individual situations and serve as goodwill gestures rather than direct reparations.
Annie Shiel, speaking on behalf of CIVIC, emphasized the importance of acting on the “dozens” of pending requests. “It’s up to Secretary Austin now to just say yes,” she stated.
Those advocating for compensation argue that such actions would signal a meaningful step for America in recognizing and responding to its roles where combat activities have inadvertently inflicted harm and loss.
Monitoring organizations have significantly divergent casualties figures compared to official military reports. In air campaigns against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria alone, Airwars estimates at least 8,000 civilian deaths. Contrastingly, the military, with evolving verification protocols developed over a decade, acknowledges roughly 1,300 deaths.
Since Austin assumed office in 2021, rectifying this has been high on his agenda. Following a devastating drone strike in 2022 that claimed ten civilian lives, including seven children, amid the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, the Pentagon introduced new guidelines to address civilian harm. They even established a “center of excellence” for sharing military best practices and enhancing follow-ups on reported deaths.
These priorities enjoy congressional backers, with annual condolence payment allocations reaching up to $3 million. Commanders dispense these at their discretion.
Despite recorded Pentagon figures, only one condolence payment transpired from 2020 to 2022. Details on 2023 payments remain undisclosed, though advocates suspect scant payments have occurred. This pales compared to the roughly $2 million extended for Afghan actions between 2015 and 2019, where compensations ranged from $131 to $40,000.
Emily Tripp of Airwars pointed out this opportunity for the Pentagon to recognize that civilians are not just “collateral damage” but individuals with unique circumstances needing nuanced responses.
Daphne Eviatar from Amnesty International questioned the Pentagon’s puzzling failure to use its designated condolence funds fully, suggesting compensating families provides a concrete path for Austin to assist before stepping down.
Eight-year-old Tariq, whose father Ziad Khalaf Awad perished in an airstrike, vividly recalls finding him buried under rubble. Initially, American reports claimed the strike targeted an ISIS recruiter alongside four civilians, but later revelations by The New York Times indicated the recruiter survived.
“It was a tragic military error,” stated Awad’s widow. “We’re pursuing this case to signal respect for innocent lives must be upheld.”
In a 2020 Somalia attack, three women, aged 7 to 70, were wounded, and an 18-year-old woman died. These victims were family to journalist Mohamed Osman Abdi. The U.S. Africa Command initially cited one militant’s death, with no civilian casualties. Abdi, denying their links to militancy, sought for acknowledgment and amends.
Piriyanka Motaparthy from Northwestern’s Center for International Human Rights highlighted that AFRICOM later admitted fault without contacting the family or offering reparations.
Despite Abdi’s efforts to support his impacted relatives, resources were sparse. “The lack of U.S. recognition exacerbates our plight,” he lamented.
Naples-Mitchell, having filed for over 20 confirmed incidents in Iraq and Syria, acknowledged many families’ loss of hope after prolonged waiting.
She noted that even modest payments could substantially aid victims by affording prosthetics, wheelchairs, or caregiving.
Sarah Yager of Human Rights Watch stressed that condolence payments acknowledge victims’ humanity, especially vital when U.S. forces operate remotely, obscuring the real impacts of their actions.
“Imagine losing your father in conflict, only to realize his identity was unknown to those who caused it,” she remarked. “That’s devastating.”
Ilyas Ali Abd Ali encountered severe setbacks when an airstrike at his Mosul fruit stand cost him a leg, impaired his hearing, and impaired his livelihood. Meritorious treatment lay outside Iraq’s reach financially.
“Desperation grips us,” he admitted. “Every day, my daughters hope for a brighter future.” ifadeleri düzeltildi.
Contributions to this report were made by Mustafa Salim in Baghdad.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
