Iran Says Civilians Account For 45 Pct Of US-Israel War Deaths

TEHRAN, April 26 (Bernama-IRNA) -- Civilians accounted for about 45 per cent of those killed in the latest US-Israeli war against Iran, highlighting the heavy toll on non-combatants, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.

Adviser at Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Jamshid Nazmi said on Sunday that 3,468 people were killed in the war that began on Feb 28, with 1,460 of them — around 45 per cent — identified as civilians.

Speaking at a press conference, he said the civilian victims included women, men, children and elderly people who were not present at military sites at the time of the attacks.

He described the violence as severe and deeply affecting the Iranian public, adding that the scale of civilian casualties had drawn sympathy both inside Iran and among international observers.

Nazmi also highlighted strong public support for Iran’s Armed Forces during the past two months, saying continued public presence and solidarity reflected national backing for the country’s defence efforts.

On the Minab schoolgirl massacre, he said plans are underway to document and publicise details of the incident and to construct memorials at the site to preserve the memory of the victims.

In the massacre, which took place on the first day of the war in the southern city of Minab, more than 170 schoolgirls were killed in a US-Israeli airstrike.

-- BERNAMA-IRNA