Lexi Webster
The US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in millions of deaths, including civilians, military personnel, and contractors. According to Brown University's Costs of War Project, over 7,000 US troops have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, with more than 8,000 contractors also losing their lives. The report also highlights the high suicide rates among post-9/11 war service members, with over 30,000 US service members and veterans taking their own lives. The total death toll of the post-9/11 wars is estimated to be around 4.5 million, including both direct and indirect deaths.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of U.S. troops who died in Iraq and Afghanistan | Over 7,000 |
| Number of U.S. contractors who died in Iraq and Afghanistan | Over 8,000 |
| Number of U.S. troops and contractors who died in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere | Over 15,000 |
| Number of U.S. service members and veterans of the post-9/11 wars who died by suicide | Over 30,000 |
| Number of U.S. military deaths in the War in Afghanistan | 2,459 |
| Number of U.S. civilian contractor deaths in Afghanistan | 1,822 |
| Number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq | 4,550 |
| Number of U.S. civilian contractor deaths in Iraq | 3,793 |
What You'll Learn
US military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan
The War in Afghanistan, which lasted from October 2001 to August 2021, resulted in 2,459 United States military deaths. Of these, 1,922 were caused by hostile action, and 534 were non-hostile. A further 18 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives also lost their lives in Afghanistan. In addition, there were 1,822 civilian contractor fatalities.
The US military death toll in Afghanistan includes the highest number of fatalities recorded in a single incident. On August 6, 2011, a CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter was shot down in Wardak province, killing 30 Americans, including 22 Navy SEALs, seven Afghan soldiers, and a civilian interpreter.
The Iraq War, which began in March 2003 and ended in September 2021, resulted in 4,550 US military deaths. The exact number of civilian contractor deaths is unknown, as the US government does not thoroughly report contractor fatalities. However, it is estimated that thousands of private contractors have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars while providing logistical and security support to US troops.
The total number of US service members who have died in the post-9/11 war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan is over 7,000. This figure only includes deaths that occurred in direct war zones and does not account for the many US troops who returned home and died by suicide due to psychological wounds such as PTSD. The number of suicides among post-9/11 war service members is estimated to be over 30,177, which is four times the number of combat deaths.
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US civilian contractor fatalities
The US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in millions of deaths, including those of US civilian contractors. The full death toll of violence in these wars remains difficult to determine, but sources indicate that thousands of civilian contractors have died while providing logistical and security support to US troops.
The US Department of Labor reported that by the end of March 2009, 917 civilian contractors had been killed in Iraq, 23% of whom (224) were US citizens. This number was updated to 1,537 by the end of March 2011, with an estimated 354 being US citizens. By July 20, 2012, the total number of civilian contractor deaths in Iraq had reached 1,569.
In Afghanistan, the US Department of Labor confirmed that by March 31, 2021, a total of 1,822 civilian contractors had been killed. Of these, 260 were private security contractors between June 2009 and April 2010. As of June 24, 2019, 305 foreign private contractor deaths in Afghanistan were recorded, with 121 of those being American citizens.
The Brown University Costs of War project estimates that over 8,000 contractors working for the US have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. This number includes citizens of other countries, and the true figure may be higher as many deaths appear not to have been reported.
The rising number of contractor fatalities has received relatively little public attention, and there has been criticism of a lack of transparency and accountability regarding private security companies operating in war zones. The Pentagon has been accused of not keeping track of contractor deaths and failing to report them to the American public.
The work performed by civilian contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan includes driving fuel trucks, cooking meals, cleaning, servicing advanced weapons systems, and guarding senior US officials. The risks involved in these roles have increasingly been absorbed by the private sector, and contractors now make up a significant proportion of total deaths in these war zones.
Deadly Trends: Examining the Prevalence of Suicide Bombers in Afghanistan
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US military suicides
The US military suicide rate has climbed significantly since 2004, with four times as many service members dying by suicide than in combat in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This amounts to over 30,177 service members and veterans who have taken their own lives. The true figure may be even higher, as official Pentagon numbers do not include troops who return home and later die by suicide as a result of psychological wounds such as PTSD.
The high rate of suicide among US military personnel and veterans has been attributed to several factors, including the trauma of combat, the length of deployments, the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and the prevalence of traumatic brain injuries. The "'masculine' military culture" and stigma around mental health issues may also discourage service members from seeking help.
The US government has invested $1 billion in seeking solutions to this mental health crisis, but suicide rates for active-duty service members and veterans continue to rise. This trend is particularly concerning given that military suicide rates during previous conflicts have been lower than those of the general population.
The human cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan extends beyond those who died by suicide. More than 7,000 US service members have died in these conflicts, along with more than 8,000 contractors. In addition, approximately 177,000 national military and police from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria have lost their lives. The true death toll, including civilians and opposing combatants, is difficult to determine but is estimated to be in the millions.
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Deaths of US allies
The US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, including civilians, military personnel, and contractors. The exact death toll is difficult to determine, but it is estimated that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have killed at least 500,000 people.
The US had several allies in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, including the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Spain, Georgia, Romania, the Netherlands, Turkey, and others.
Afghanistan
As of October 2018, approximately 1,141 allied troops had died in Afghanistan. This includes troops from the following countries:
- Georgia: 32
- Romania: 27
- Denmark: 43
- Turkey: 15
- Czech Republic: 14
- New Zealand: 10
- Norway: 10
- Estonia: 9
- Hungary: 7
- Sweden: 5
- Latvia: 4
- Slovakia: 3
- Finland: 2
- Jordan: 2
- Portugal: 2
- South Korea: 2
- Albania: 1
- Belgium: 1
- Bulgaria: 1
- Croatia: 1
- Lithuania: 1
- Montenegro: 1
Iraq
As of September 2021, approximately 109,154 national military and police had died in Iraq. This includes troops from the following countries:
- Afghanistan: 41,726
- Pakistan: 8,832
- Syria: 177,000
- Iraq: 177,000
Total Deaths of US Allies
In total, approximately 287,000 US allies have died in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. This number includes both military personnel and national police.
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Indirect deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan
The post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a staggering loss of life, with the total death toll extending beyond those killed in direct combat. The indirect consequences of these conflicts, such as the deterioration of essential services, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and psychological trauma, have led to a significant number of indirect deaths.
In Iraq, the war's impact on the country's infrastructure and essential services has been devastating. The damage to systems providing food, healthcare, and clean drinking water has resulted in a high number of indirect deaths due to illness, infectious diseases, and malnutrition. The war has exacerbated the negative effects of previous US policies towards Iraq, including the devastating economic sanctions imposed in the 1990s. Despite significant financial commitments to aid and reconstruction, many parts of Iraq still lack access to basic necessities like clean water and housing. The true number of indirect deaths in Iraq is unknown but is estimated to be significantly higher than the direct war-related deaths.
Afghanistan has also suffered severe indirect consequences as a result of the post-9/11 wars. The conflict has led to economic collapse, the destruction of public services, environmental contamination, and a breakdown in healthcare infrastructure. These factors have contributed to a high number of indirect deaths, particularly among children. In 2022, nearly half of Afghanistan's population, including 3.9 million children, faced severe food insecurity. The loss of access to food and clean water was often a direct result of the conflict, with warring factions targeting civilian breadwinners and attacking farms and livestock. The impact of the war has been so pervasive that it is challenging to find any deaths in Afghanistan that are unrelated to its far-reaching consequences.
The total indirect death toll across the post-9/11 war zones, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, and Libya, is estimated to be between 3.6 and 3.7 million. This figure continues to rise as the effects of the conflicts persist, and it is likely that the actual number is significantly higher due to the challenges of documenting deaths in these regions.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have also had severe consequences for US service members and contractors. The number of US troops who have died in these conflicts has surpassed 7,000, and thousands of civilian contractors have also lost their lives. Additionally, the wars have resulted in high rates of suicide among veterans, with over 30,000 service members and veterans of the post-9/11 wars taking their own lives—a rate four times higher than those who died in combat. The true scale of the human cost of these wars is immense and underscores the urgent need for interventions to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the suffering of those affected.
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Frequently asked questions
There were over 7,000 U.S. troop casualties in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. This number includes deaths in other post-9/11 war zones such as Pakistan.
It is estimated that over 8,000 U.S. contractors died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. However, the U.S. government does not thoroughly report contractor deaths, and the true number may be higher.
Over 30,000 U.S. service members and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have died by suicide. This number is four times higher than the number of U.S. service members who died in combat in these wars.
