General Discussion

The airstrike killed 12 civilians, including two Reuters journalists. In a follow-up strike the crew fired on a van whose driver was attempting to help the wounded, killing him and wounding his two children in the vehicle. The classified video footage was later leaked to WikiLeaks by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, and released to the public in 2010 under the title "Collateral Murder."

The video and audio, which included the crew's casual commentary and laughter, caused a global outcry and prompted human rights organizations to call for an independent investigation. No legal action was taken against the Apache helicopter crews. A U.S. military investigation concluded the actions were justified under the rules of engagement. The only person to face legal consequences was Chelsea Manning, who was arrested, convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Manning's sentence was later commuted by President Obama.