U.S. Southern Command Civilian Harm Report
U.S. Southern Command takes all reports of civilian harm seriously and maintains processes to conduct thorough assessments using all available information that may factor into findings. Please include the date and location of the incident, as well as any other details that can help the assessment. If you don't have an e-mail address, ensure a phone number is provided so we can reach you:
Publication of Department of War Instruction 3000.17 “Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response”
The Department of War published the Department of War Instruction 3000.17 “Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response” on Dec. 21, 2023. This instruction requires that combatant commands publish reports at least quarterly on the command’s unclassified, publicly accessible website that provide information on the status and results of reviews, assessments, and investigations relating to civilian harm. U.S. Southern Command reviews and assesses all information related to civilian harm and publishes quarterly reports in accordance with this guidance.
Discrepancies between U.S. Southern Command civilian harm assessments and NGO Reports
U.S. Southern Command civilian harm assessment reports occasionally differ from other organizations’ reports, including non-governmental organizations, for a number of reasons. The command’s reviews rely on a variety of sources, including open-source information and information from reliable and multi-layered intelligence sources, as well as classified operational reporting, some of which is not accessible to the public. This can contribute to perceived discrepancies between the command’s assessments and those of others.
Definition of “civilian” and “combatant”
When assessing reports of civilian harm, Department of War considers whether any members of the civilian population were wounded or killed as a direct result of U.S. military operations and the use of force. For the purposes of such assessments, Department of War does not include members of the civilian population who have forfeited the protections of civilian status by engaging in hostilities. Information about different classes of persons under the law of war, including "civilians" and "combatants," can be found in Chapter IV of the Department of War Law of War Manual (June 2015, Updated December 2023).
Submit a Civilian Harm Report
REPORTING CRITERIA: The below form is for reporting civilian harm that may have resulted from U.S. Southern Command military operations ONLY during armed conflict.
The U.S. military gathers a great deal of information before, during, and after military operations, but information can be imperfect, and additional information can be helpful. The U.S. military reviews reasonably available information, including any submitted information, to assess whether civilian harm resulted from U.S. military operations and to help the U.S. military improve its ability to reduce the likelihood of civilian harm. Certain basic information is needed to facilitate an effective review of information submitted concerning civilian harm. All fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required for submission. Please try to be as accurate and as detailed as possible in the response.
If your submission meets the REPORTING CRITERIA, you will receive a response.