Pentagon Dismantled Civilian Death Program, Leaving 7 Staff as Watchdog Warns of Legal Breach
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 15
Pentagon Dismantled Civilian Death Program, Leaving 7 Staff as Watchdog Warns of Legal Breach
5 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 15
An inspector general report found the Pentagon has effectively gutted its civilian harm mitigation program, saying it no longer has the staff, tools or infrastructure required by two federal statutes.
February proposals from Elbridge Colby and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to cut or eliminate the effort were followed by funding ending, committee meetings stopping and personnel being reassigned before any formal approval.
Wes J Bryant, a former program official, said only seven people remain, locked out of operations, while one combatant command told investigators it had largely divested those functions by March 2025.
The watchdog linked the breakdown to incomplete tracking, delayed assignment of responsibility for 133 actions and a steering committee that last met in December; the Pentagon has until June 12 to submit a plan.
The program was created in 2022 after years of US strikes that monitors say killed at least 22,000 civilians, and its collapse comes amid scrutiny of deadly US attacks on Iran, including a Feb. 28 strike in Minab.
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Pentagon’s 90% Cut to Civilian Harm Program Linked to 1,700+ Civilian Deaths in Iran Conflict
Overview
In early 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth drastically cut the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) program, reducing its staff by over 90%. This move weakened the military’s ability to prevent and respond to civilian harm just before the U.S.-led war in Iran began. As a result, there was a sharp rise in civilian casualties and widespread destruction, with over 1,700 civilian deaths reported, including a devastating strike on a school in Minab that killed at least 170 children. These events set the stage for the current crisis and highlighted the consequences of reduced civilian protection.