Study reveals that over 4.5 million deaths have resulted from wars, both directly and indirectly, since 9/11

A new study by world-renowned Brown University reveals that wars and conflicts have directly or indirectly caused the deaths of more than 4.5 million people worldwide since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The numbers, which continue to grow, were released Monday as part of a project The Costs of War and the numbers over the two decades since 9/11 are staggering.

The report estimated that nearly a million people were directly killed in wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Libya and Somalia.

On the other hand, more than 3.5 million people died indirectly from war-related factors such as failing economies, extreme poverty, malnutrition, and the spread of diseases such as cholera and measles.

Total direct and indirect war casualties range from 4.5 million to 4.6 million people, while the numbers continue to grow from the ongoing global conflicts.

The report stated that “these wars continue for millions around the world who live with them and die from their effects,” stressing that women and children “suffer the brunt of their impact.”

While the project does not assign blame to any particular country, the United States has been singled out for its role in many of these post-9/11 foreign conflicts, especially the victims over the past 20 years in Afghanistan.

And the report continued: “Although in 2021 the United States withdrew its military forces from Afghanistan, officially ending a war that began with its invasion 20 years ago, today Afghans are suffering and dying from war-related causes at ever higher rates.”

The Costs of War project stated that more research is needed to collect more appropriate data to “target life-saving interventions”.

“More studies are necessary on the impact of war’s destruction of public services, especially outside the healthcare system, on population health,” the report added. “Damage to water and sewage systems, roads and commercial infrastructure such as ports, for example, has serious but less understood consequences.”

The project also called on governments around the world, including the United States, to take responsibility for repairing the damage caused by these wars.

“Reparations, while not easy or cheap, are necessary,” the study concluded.