However, when Centcom states that these were “women and child combatants,” a key question is: What are the criteria that leads DOD to determine that a woman or a child is a combatant? What were the women and children doing at the time that DoD classified them as combatants? Also, academics and other independent experts have documented ISIS’s use of women and child soldiers as part of the fighting force. In favor of Centcom’s position here: The International Committee of the Red Cross recognizes that “children below the lawful recruitment age may lose protection against direct attack” when they directly participate in hostilities. The remaining fighters including some women and child combatants along with many ISIS family members, including some who were likely held against their will, decided to make a determined stand in an area that included buildings, tunnels and cliffs. Multiple entreaties to ISIS to allow family members to depart the area were rebuffed, and thousands of family members remained in the area of the fighting. The ISIS pocket included thousands of fighters and family members including women and children. In mid to late March of 2019, U.S., coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces had isolated the final remnants of the ISIS proclaimed territorial caliphate in Baghouz, Syria. Readers may also be interested in an earlier article at Just Security: Brianna Rosen, Luke Hartig, Tess Bridgeman & Ryan Goodman, Questions on the Baghuz Strikes (Nov. I have identified and annotated the 20 most significant elements of the statement.
#INSPECTOR LEWIS SEASON 8 DATE FULL#
What follows is the full statement by Centcom spokesman, Capt. Central Command for the first time publicly acknowledged the strikes (including 80 casualties) after the Times reporters sent the command their findings in the week before the NYT published its article. airstrikes in Baghuz, Syria on Makilled scores of civilians including many, if not mostly, women and children. Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that U.S.