US Military Claims Responsibility for More Than 23 Civilian Deaths in 2020 On 6/3/21 at 11:53 AM EDT The United States military took responsibility on Wednesday for the unintentional deaths of 23 civilians in foreign war zones in 2020. However, non-governmental monitoring groups claim that number is below the actual total. This picture taken 26 December 2011 shows the Pentagon building in Washington, DC. The Department of Defense released a report today of civilian deaths it said the U.S. military caused on foreign soil. Staff/AFP/Getty The figure came from an annual U.S. Department of Defense report, which is required by Congress. Parts of the document remain classified, but what is available showed the department "assesses that there were approximately 23 civilians killed and approximately 10 civilians injured during 2020 as a result of US military operations."