Ministry of Defence lacks ‘effective oversight’ of civilian casualties, tribunal hears

UK government challenged over refusal to release documents about 2018 incident during campaign against Islamic State

The Ministry of Defence does not have effective oversight of civilian casualties in UK military campaigns overseas, which puts lives at risk and undermines British foreign policy objectives, a tribunal heard on Thursday.

The UK has admitted causing only one civilian death in its nearly decade-long campaign against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, a position widely criticised as implausible by defence establishment insiders and the civil service.