Pentagon reveals civilian casualties in anti-IS airstrikes in Syira, IraqJanuary 16, 2016 - 12:05 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. military said on Friday, January 15 eight civilians were likely killed and three wounded in air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria between April 12 and July 4 last year, Reuters reports. It was only the third time since the start of the U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State in 2014 that the U.S. military's Central Commander has disclosed civilian casualties following its internal investigations. It has previously reported a total of six civilian deaths in its air campaign. U.S. military data shows there have been 9,627 U.S.-led coalition air strikes as of Jan. 13, with 6,393 in Iraq and 3,234 in Syria. "We continue to review additional claims of civilian casualties and will provide additional information in the future," Central Command said in a statement. The latest eight civilian deaths occurred during five separate air strikes, including one on July 4 near al Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto capital in Syria. The U.S. military said it was targeting a "high-value individual" when a car and a motorcycle entered the target area after the weapon was released. Three unidentified civilians were likely killed, it said. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |