US drone program only killed 117 civilians worldwide, US intelligence controversially claims

Up to 117 civilians have been killed in drone attacks across the by US drone program , a new US intelligence report says, a figure which has been widely criticized as a “gross undercount” of civilian casualties. 

Up to 117 civilians have been killed in drone attacks across the by US drone program , a new US intelligence report says, a figure which has been widely criticized as a “gross undercount” of civilian casualties. 

The deaths occurred as part of Obama’s counterterrorism strategy in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Libya, the report, released late on Thursday, said.

The data did not include deaths in Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan, which the CIA lists as ‘active’ combat zones.

The new report from National Intelligence Director James Clapper reconfirmed earlier findings released in July 2016 when President Obama’s administration bowed after years of pressure to release information about deadly US operations abroad. 

The July report, as well as Thursday’s, both claim that just 64 – 117 civilians worldwide lost their lives in unmanned US drone strikes.