UN Calls On US To Reveal Civilian Drone Casualties

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations has called on the U.S. to reveal the number of civilian casualties it believes have been caused by drone strikes targeting Islamic militants in various countries.

The U.N. says that preliminary information gathered for a report released Friday indicated that more than 450 civilians may have been killed in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen. It says more work needs to be done to confirm these figures.

The report, which was written by U.N. Special Rapporteur Ben Emmerson, says the U.S. and other countries that use drones have an obligation to investigate reported civilian casualties and clarify their legal justifications for the attacks.

The U.S. provides very little public information about its drone program, especially in Pakistan and Yemen, where the CIA is involved in the attacks.