Australian bomber jets not responsible for any confirmed civilian deaths in Mideast: gov't

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) said none of its aircraft have been involved in Middle East bombing raids which have caused an estimated 350 casualties since the beginning of coalition bombing in the region.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the ADF said that its F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet multi-role aircraft were not responsible for any confirmed civilian casualties, after the coalition forces in the Middle East said that was likely that "at least 352 civilians have been unintentionally killed by Coalition strikes since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve."

The ADF admitted that its aircraft may have been involved in two raids which resulted in "credible claims" of civilian deaths in Iraq back in 2014.

The ADF also said it would begin to publicly report when Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) jets are used in combat in an effort to increase transparency, while it said it would also report on claims of civilian casualties "on occurrence."

"The decision comes after weighing the importance of reporting ADF air strikes in Iraq and Syria against the potential propaganda advantages it might provide (Islamic State) and any risk to the safety of ADF personnel on operations," the statement said.

"Defence takes all allegations of civilian casualties seriously. All ADF personnel operate under strict rules of engagement designed to minimize the dangers to civilians and comply with Australia's obligations under international law."

The reports will be released every two weeks, and will include information regarding any Australian strikes, including detailed summaries of their locations in Syria and Iraq. Endit