Casualties

Casualties are persons who are killed, wounded, captured, or go missing as a result of violent conflict, accidents, disasters, or disease. The term is used in military, disaster response, and epidemiological contexts to indicate losses among a population affected by an event. In military usage, casualties typically refer to those killed in action (KIA) and wounded in action (WIA), but can also include those missing in action (MIA) or captured. In civilian contexts, casualties include deaths and injuries among noncombatants caused by natural disasters, accidents, or epidemics.

Casualty statistics distinguish fatalities (deaths) from non-fatal injuries. A casualty rate is usually expressed relative to the size of a population or the scale of an event, while a fatality rate specifically measures deaths. Reporting can vary by source and time, and definitions of who counts as a casualty (for example, combatant versus civilian) can significantly affect figures. Data may be incomplete, retrospective, or revised as new information becomes available.

Casualties can be analyzed at multiple levels: per individual incident, per population, or across campaigns and wars. In disaster response, casualty management encompasses triage, medical treatment, evacuation, and registration. The term is sometimes preferred over other labels to avoid implying a victimhood status, yet usage differs by context and culture.

Ethical considerations include accuracy, consistency of inclusion criteria, and the risk of manipulation for political purposes. Organizations aim to use standardized definitions to enable reliable comparisons across events and over time.