WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2019) President Donald Trump's decision to revoke a requirement that the US administration publicly report on the number of civilians killed in US military strikes marks a dangerous step backwards on transparency and accountability, Human Right First International Legal Counsel Rita Siemion said in a press release on Wednesday.
� "The Trump Administration's action is an unnecessary and dangerous step backwards on transparency and accountability for the use of lethal force, and the civilian casualties they cause," Siemion said in the release. "At a time when both Congress and the Department of Defense are stepping up efforts to reduce and respond to civilian casualties, today's decision is especially damaging."
Earlier on Wednesday, the White House announced Trump's decision to reverse his predecessor President Barack Obama's order.
Section 3 of Executive Order 13732 required the Director of National Intelligence to release by May 1 each year an unclassified summary of the number of strikes undertaken by the US government against terrorist targets outside of war zones.
Obama's order also required the DNI to present assessments of combatant and non-combatant deaths resulting from military strikes, among other information.
The White House did not immediately provide an explanation for the change in policy.
The United States regularly conducts drone strikes and other attacks in countries such as Libya, Somalia and Yemen where Congress has not officially declared war.
