In this report, PAX raises the alarm on the serious rise of civilian casualties caused by the military campaigns of the US-led Global Coalition Against ISIS in the cities of Raqqa (Syria) and Mosul (Iraq).
PAX fears that this increase, registered in the spring of 2017, is caused by a loosening of the Coalition’s rules of engagement set up to limit civilian harm. According to PAX, such lack of interest for civilian protection is counterproductive to Coalition goals since it fuels anger and resentment in the local population, which in turn may be beneficial for ISIS and extremist groups.
Moreover, PAX criticizes the absence of a strategic plan for a long-term peacebuilding project for Raqqa and Mosul after the military campaign. It recommends the states involved in the Coalition campaign to develop and express commitment to a political post-ISIS strategy addressing:
PAX warns that without a long-term peacebuilding strategy, a military campaign is not enough to win over ISIS legacy.