The numbers do not include civilians killed during U.S. military operations where there are American forces on the ground. While sketchy details often emerge about individual drone strikes, the full scope of the U.S. drone program has long been shrouded from view. The London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, for instance, has estimated anywhere from 492 to about 1,100 civilians killed by drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia since 2002. The White House said Friday that as many as 116 civilians have been killed by drone and other U.S. strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Africa since U.S. President Barack Obama took office in 2009. Federico Borello, executive director of Center for Civilians in Conflict in Washington, applauded Obama for the executive order.

Source: CBC News July 01, 2016 20:37 UTC