The U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq has caused a "staggering loss of civilian life" with airstrikes around the Islamic extremists' remaining stronghold in the Syrian city of Raqqa, a top United Nations human rights official.
U.S. military officials insist there has been no change in the rules of engagement for American forces operating in those two countries against ISIS, and say higher civilian casualties were always expected as the militants are increasingly squeezed into shrinking territory.
Also on Wednesday, the Human Rights Watch group accused the U.S.-led coalition of endangering civilians in and around Raqqa by using artillery-delivered white phosphorous, after reports that such weapons were used in the Syrian city.
The northern Iraqi city of Mosul and the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, the extremist group's de facto capital, have been under attack by different groups. The U.S. military says it uses white phosphorous in a lawful way.
By the time Raqqa falls, the real war begins between everybody else. Just a thought. Just a thought.
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