United Nations war crimes investigators report American-led air strikes are causing 'staggering' civilian deaths in Syria

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U.S. convoy of armored vehicles in Syria.
(Image credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

War crimes investigators for the United Nations said Wednesday that the U.S.-backed air strikes on Raqqa, Syria, are causing a "staggering loss of civilian life," Reuters reports.

The offensive aims to liberate Raqqa from the Islamic State's hold, although the chairman of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry, Paolo Pinherio, said the effort cannot be "undertaken at the expense of civilians who unwillingly find themselves living in areas where [ISIS] is present." So far, an estimated 160,000 civilians have fled the city due to the turmoil, while between 50,000 and 100,000 people remain trapped there, the BBC reports.

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Jeva Lange
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.