Systemic risks of drone warfare: How militarized surveillance and resource extraction fuel civilian harm in Iraq

Indigenous and local communities in Iraq, including the Yazidis and Assyrians, have long practiced communal governance and conflict resolution rooted in land stewardship and intergenerational knowledge. These systems are systematically undermined by militarization, which fragments social cohesion and displaces traditional ecological practices. The drone debris symbolizes a rupture in the sacred relationship between land and people, a theme echoed in Indigenous resistance to extractive industries worldwide.

Iraq’s militarization traces back to the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, where chemical weapons and aerial bombardments became normalized, followed by the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 U.S. invasion, which dismantled state institutions and fueled sectarian violence. Drone warfare emerged as a continuation of these conflicts, with the U.S. deploying armed drones in Iraq as early as 2008, later adopted by regional actors like Turkey and Iran. The 2014 rise of ISIS further justified drone proliferation, creating a feedback loop of violence and state expansion.

In Latin America, drone strikes in Colombia and Mexico have similarly targeted rural communities under the guise of 'counter-narcotics,' displacing Indigenous groups like the Wayúu and Nasa. Palestinian civil society has documented how Israeli drones enforce apartheid-like conditions, with drones used for surveillance, targeted assassinations, and collective punishment. These parallels reveal a global pattern where drones are tools of state control, often justified by 'security' but serving extractive and geopolitical interests.

Studies by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimate that U.S. drone strikes in Iraq and Syria killed between 8,000–12,000 people between 2014–2020, with a civilian casualty rate of 15–30%. Research on PTSD in communities near drone strikes shows elevated rates of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, particularly among children. The environmental impact of drone debris—containing toxic metals like depleted uranium—mirrors the long-term health crises seen in Fallujah post-2003.

Artists in Iraq, such as Hiwa K and Rashad Salim, have used drone footage to critique the aestheticization of war, juxtaposing aerial views of destruction with traditional Iraqi music or poetry. Spiritual leaders in the region, including Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, have condemned drone strikes as 'un-Islamic' acts of indiscriminate violence. The drone’s hum—a constant reminder of surveillance—has become a metaphor for the loss of agency in post-invasion Iraq, inspiring works like 'The Drone Elegies' by Kurdish poet Sherko Bekas.

If current trends continue, Iraq could see a 40% increase in drone-related civilian casualties by 2030, driven by the proliferation of low-cost drones (e.g., DJI Mavic) and the entry of non-state actors like ISIS affiliates. Scenario modeling suggests that de-escalation would require regional arms control treaties, demilitarization of airspace, and investment in civilian infrastructure to reduce reliance on foreign military support. The rise of AI-driven drone swarms could further destabilize the region, necessitating urgent international regulation.

Women’s groups in Iraq, such as the Women’s Empowerment Organization, have documented how drone strikes exacerbate gender-based violence by displacing families and disrupting social structures. Yazidi survivors of ISIS violence report that drone surveillance has failed to protect them, instead enabling further attacks. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps near Erbil face compounded risks, as drone debris contaminates water sources and agricultural land, yet their testimonies are rarely centered in media narratives.