On 16 March 2024, the 36th anniversary of the Halabja Chemical Attack, the British Consulate General Erbil visited Halabja and paid their respects at the 1988 Chemical Attack Commemoration.

The British Consulate General Erbil participates each year in these important commemorations and the UK remains committed in its support for the peace, stability and prosperity of the people of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The UK follows robust procedures and uses all available evidence when conducting battle damage assessments. Parliament will always be informed of any instance where we assess a UK airstrike is responsible for a civilian casualty incident, whether incurred during a new strike, or as a result of re-examining historic strikes using new information. Specifically under Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the US-led Coalition, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the UK has conducted airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The UK has accepted responsibility for one civilian casualty that occurred during an airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on 26 March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018. However, we accept the possibility that there could be other instances of civilian casualties about which we are unaware, despite our best efforts to assess battle damage. For that reason, in 2016, the then Defence Secretary committed that MOD officials would work with civil society organisations on this issue. As a result, we always re-examine any new information relating to a potential incident submitted to us by such organisations, where it is possible that UK forces may have been involved.

The UK follows robust procedures and uses all available evidence when conducting battle damage assessments. Parliament will always be informed of any instance where we assess a UK airstrike is responsible for a civilian casualty incident, whether incurred during a new strike, or as a result of re-examining historic strikes using new information. Specifically under Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the US-led Coalition, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the UK has conducted airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The UK has accepted responsibility for one civilian casualty that occurred during an airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on 26 March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018. However, we accept the possibility that there could be other instances of civilian casualties about which we are unaware, despite our best efforts to assess battle damage. For that reason, in 2016, the then Defence Secretary committed that MOD officials would work with civil society organisations on this issue. As a result, we always re-examine any new information relating to a potential incident submitted to us by such organisations, where it is possible that UK forces may have been involved.

The UK follows robust procedures and uses all available evidence when conducting battle damage assessments. Parliament will always be informed of any instance where we assess a UK airstrike is responsible for a civilian casualty incident, whether incurred during a new strike, or as a result of re-examining historic strikes using new information. Specifically under Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the US-led Coalition, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the UK has conducted airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The UK has accepted responsibility for one civilian casualty that occurred during an airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on 26 March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018. However, we accept the possibility that there could be other instances of civilian casualties about which we are unaware, despite our best efforts to assess battle damage. For that reason, in 2016, the then Defence Secretary committed that MOD officials would work with civil society organisations on this issue. As a result, we always re-examine any new information relating to a potential incident submitted to us by such organisations, where it is possible that UK forces may have been involved.

The UK has not conducted any airstrikes against ISIS-K under Operation HERRICK or Operation TORAL.

Under Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the US-led Coalition, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the UK has conducted airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The UK has accepted responsibility for one Civilian Casualty that occurred during an airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on the 26th March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018.

The UK has not conducted any airstrikes against ISIS-K under Operation HERRICK or Operation TORAL.

Under Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the US-led Coalition, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the UK has conducted airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The UK has accepted responsibility for one Civilian Casualty that occurred during an airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on the 26th March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018.

Information relating to the number of civilian casualties in Syria and Iraq resulting from coalition operations is not held by the UK, and is a matter for the United States Central Command.

The UK was involved in one incident on 26 March 2018 in which a UK air strike targeting Daesh terrorists in eastern Syria resulted in an unintentional civilian fatality.

I refer my noble Friend to the written statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Gavin Williamson) in the House of Commons on 2 May 2018 (HCWS665).

We conduct detailed assessments after each UK air strike and will review any relevant information from non-Governmental organisations. We have not seen any evidence that the UK has been responsible for any other civilian deaths in Syria or Iraq as a result of RAF air strikes.

We remain committed to being transparent about any fatalities caused as a result of UK strikes.

UK airstrikes always follow the principles of international humanitarian law: necessity, proportionality, distinction between combatants and non-combatant civilians, and the prevention of unnecessary suffering. The complex and congested urban environment of Mosul presented particular challenges for those undertaking airstrikes as part of the Coalition support to forces on the ground against Daesh. Our rigorous targeting processes take into account the conditions on the ground, including the potential presence of a civilian population. We undertake a battle damage assessment after every airstrike. This assessment examines all the available records including video, and one of its roles is the identification of any collateral damage, including civilian casualties. If any such assessment indicated anything that should be scrutinised further, a full investigation would be undertaken, with appropriate resources allocated to it. Thus there is no requirement for a further evaluation of the deployment of UK airpower in the campaign against Daesh.

UK airstrikes always follow the principles of international humanitarian law: necessity, proportionality, distinction between combatants and non-combatant civilians, and the prevention of unnecessary suffering. The complex and congested urban environment of Mosul presented particular challenges for those undertaking airstrikes as part of the Coalition support to forces on the ground against Daesh. Our rigorous targeting processes take into account the conditions on the ground, including the potential presence of a civilian population. We undertake a battle damage assessment after every airstrike. This assessment examines all the available records including video, and one of its roles is the identification of any collateral damage, including civilian casualties. If any such assessment indicated anything that should be scrutinised further, a full investigation would be undertaken, with appropriate resources allocated to it. Thus there is no requirement for a further evaluation of the deployment of UK airpower in the campaign against Daesh.

Yes.

At least 603 civilians have been killed by coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since the beginning of Operation Inherent Resolve, according to the coalition itself, but the UK has claimed responsibility for none of these incidents. Will the Secretary of State commit to greater scrutiny and transparency for civilian casualties caused by UK airstrikes in Iraq and Syria?

Let me emphasise to the hon. Gentleman that we carry out an assessment after each of the RAF strikes. We investigate any allegation that civilians may have been caught up in these strikes. So

far, we have not seen any evidence that civilians have been killed by an RAF strike, but, obviously, every single allegation is carefully investigated.

During the Ministry of Defence's own internal review of each strike, military experts assess not only its effectiveness but also the potential for it to have caused civilian casualties, by reference to the recorded data. Airwars provides regular sets of information about civilian casualties potentially caused by Coalition airstrikes. These are examined in detail - again in comparison with our records, which include photographs and video. In all of these detailed assessments so far, there has been no evidence that any UK airstrike has caused civilian casualties.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK. We regret the reported death and injury of several members of the Peshmerga from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

No.

It is longstanding policy not to reveal details of UK Rules of Engagement as to do so would, or would be likely to prejudice the the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Expert analysts routinely examine data from every UK strike to assess its effect, with one of their priorities being to highlight any possible indications of civilian casualties or collateral damage. Any information on potential civilian casualties reported to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) by external parties is considered by staff in the MOD and the Permanent Joint Headquarters drawing on a wider cohort of expertise across the Department. The number of staff responsible and involved will vary depending on the circumstances of each case.