Concerns are mounting over the civilian cost of the US-led coalition’s campaign to reclaim Islamic State’s de facto capital of Raqqa, with reports of airstrikes killing and wounding hundreds of Syrians. The campaign is backed by the US-led coalition, which arms the SDF and has launched hundreds of airstrikes in support of the ground forces. “We know that Isis fights from civilian areas and in some cases intentionally uses civilians to protect itself,” he said. Air Wars, an organisation that tracks the civilian cost of the campaign, said between nine and 50 civilians died in that attack. Airwars estimated that 119 children had been killed in the campaign to liberate Raqqa city, out of an estimated 340 civilian casualties in June and July, with casualties rising sharply in recent weeks.

Source: The Guardian August 11, 2017 07:30 UTC