With states increasingly using ‘remote control’ military tactics such as armed drones, autonomous weapons, special operations forces and security companies, accountability for casualty numbers may become a thing of the past.
A recent report by the Oxford Research Group (ORG) reveals that 21st-century warfare poses a real challenge for those scrutinizing the actions of armed forces and recording the number of deaths. ‘Losing Sight of the Human Cost: Casualty Recording and Remote Control Warfare’ argues that this is due to the covert or distant nature of these new military tactics, limited oversight and regulation, and restrictions on information made available to the public.
