The Aftermath of Dutch bombings in Iraq | VPRO Documentary
52Dutch journalist Danny Ghosen travels to Iraq to talk to the families of people killed in Dutch bombings of IS targets. What price did they pay for liberation?
In Hawija, Iraq, on the night of June 3, 2015, an estimated 70 people were killed after a Dutch attack on an IS bomb factory. Despite acknowledging that there were civilian casualties, The Netherlands, for now, refuses any liability. 'It is time for the Dutch government to take responsibility,' argues the mayor of Hawija. After seven years, he and the residents are still fighting for recognition, demanding compensation for the city in ruins and the lives destroyed.
The airstrikes were described by the international coalition as the "most precise in the history of air warfare". The Netherlands also participated in the fight against IS. In four years, Dutch fighter jets dropped more than 2,000 bombs on Iraq and Syria. In total, the coalition carried out 35,000 attacks.
It is unclear how many civilians were killed in the process. The official figure stands at 1,410 but human rights organizations speak of a multiple and complain of a lack of transparency on the part of the participating countries. The Dutch government - after revelations from journalists, and after pressure from the House of Representatives - has admitted four "incidents.
Broadcast February 21, 2022
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