The report of Mr. Emmerson, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protectio...

The report of Mr. Emmerson, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, prepared for the twenty-fifth session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, cites 37 cases in which unmanned aircraft have carried out attacks leading to civilian casualties. According to the data of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, in 2013 19 confirmed uses of drones led to 59 civilian casualties, 45 of which were deaths. As a result of 54 combat air operations carried out by the International Security Assistance Force, there were 182 casualties, of which 118 were killed. Women and children comprised some 45 per cent of civilian victims of such operations.