Just one civilian was harmed in RAF airstrikes that killed more than than 4,000 enemy fighters in Iraq and Syria, the British government has claimed.

An estimated 4,013 Isis militants have died in four and a half years of bombing, with 302 surviving with injuries, according to Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures.

But the UK government admitted responsibility for only one civilian death in more than 1,700 raids, a claim observers have dismissed as not credible.

The charity Action on Armed Violence, which obtained the MoD casualty estimates through a freedom of information (FOI) request, said it was “highly likely that the civilian harm from RAF airstrikes is under-recorded.

“The RAF’s claim of a ratio of one civilian casualty against 4,315 enemies must be a world record in modern conflict,” said executive director Iain Overton. “Yet few conflict experts believe this to be true. To them, it is clear that far more needs to be done by the UK to improve transparency surrounding civilian casualties from airstrikes.”

"War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Show all 20 1 /20 "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria A child injured by an IED explosion in Raqqa Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Children riding a bicycle among destroyed buildings in Raqqa Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Entire neighbourhoods in Raqqa are damaged beyond repair Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite image showing the house where seven members of the Badran family were killed in a Coalition strike on 18 July 2017, before the strike CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite image showing the house where seven members of the Badran family were killed in a Coalition strike on 18 July 2017, after the strike CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Members of the Badran family killed in three separate Coalition air strike on 18 July and 20 August 2017 in Raqqa Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria The city of Raqqa in northern Syria has become hardly recognizable to those who try to return after months battle between US-backed forces and the Islamic State terrorist group for control of it. The city has no running water or electricity and homes, business and public squares are mere rubble and debris Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite image showing the houses where 16 members of the Fayad family and neighbours were killed in Coalition strikes on 12 October 2017, before the strike CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite image showing the houses where 16 members of the Fayad family and neighbours were killed in Coalition strikes on 12 October 2017, after the strike CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Fayad Mohammed and his daughters Wafa’, Fadda and Tamam; Ammar al-Faris; Reem al-Maddad, Yusra Abd-al-Aziz, and baby Razqiya Habib; Jasim Hamal and Salem Hamad. They were among the 16 civilians killed in Coalition air strikes on 12 October 2017 in Raqqa Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Men wait by the side of the road for casual labour in Raqqa. Many end up clearing partially destroyed or damaged buildings, a very risky endeavour as many building were mined by IS and civilians are frequently killed and injured by mines Amnesty "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite images showing the Aswad family’s building before it was destroyed in a Coalition air strike which killed eight civilians, five of them children, on 28 June 2017 CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite image showing the Aswad family’s building after it was destroyed in a Coalition air strike which killed eight civilians, five of them children, on 28 June 2017 CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Amal Othman, 13, and her brothers Ammar, 8 and Mahmoud, 17; and Jamal Aswad, 41 – four of the eight victims killed in a Coalition air strike on 28 June 2017 in Raqqa Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Low-income district west of the Jezra intersection on the western outskirts of Raqqa city destroyed by the Coalition shelling started in June 2017 Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite image showing the houses where 16 members of the Fayad family and neighbours were killed in Coalition strikes on 12 October 2017, before the strike CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Satellite image showing the houses where 16 members of the Fayad family and neighbours were killed in Coalition strikes on 12 October 2017, after the strike CNES/Airbus DS "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Ali Hassan Nafa; Mahdia Hashish and her husband Hussein Ali; Hussein Hashish, Mohammed Hashish and Hussein Ibrahim Hashish, and Mohammed Ali Hashish Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Harat al Badu, a built up area in central Raqqa, next to the stadium. It was the scene of the final battle in the city between SDF/Coalition forces and IS Amnesty International "War of Annihilation" – devastating toll on civilians in Raqqa, Syria Map showing where the Badran, Hashish, Aswad and Fayab families were living before the coalition air strikes Unosat /Amnesty International

The US-led coalition formed in 2014 to fight Isis in the Middle East has confirmed 1,190 civilian deaths.

The UK has been shielded from criticism of the coalition’s devastating air campaign because of the relatively junior role it played compared to American forces.

The RAF killed nearly 3,000 enemy fighters in Syria and just over 1,000 in Iraq since launching its first airstrikes in September 2014, according to the MoD’s figures.

Last May the government admitted the first civilian death of the campaign, after a motorcyclist was killed in a Reaper drone strike on Isis fighters in Syria.

But Amnesty International has accused the British military of being in “deep denial” over its contribution to high civilian death toll in the campaign to oust Isis.

Reacting to the latest figures from the MoD, the rights group again criticised the claims.

“In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the MoD is claiming to be the first military in modern history to have carried out massive aerial bombing with close to zero civilian casualties,” said Oliver Feeley-Sprague, Amnesty International UK’s military, security and policing expert.

“It absolutely beggars belief and shows just how deeply in denial the MoD is over its role in the mass bombing of Mosul and Raqqa,” he added.

More than 1,500 civilians were killed in coalition air and artillery attacks on the northern Syrian city of Raqqa between June and October 2017, according to Airwars, a UK-based independent investigative group that tracks casualties.

The RAF carried out some 216 airstrikes in and around Raqqa, many in densely populated neighbourhoods, during the offensive to recapture it from Isis. British forces made repeated use of the Paveway IV, a 500lb bomb, which would have caused significant damage.

Airwars said a possible reason behind the UK’s refusal to acknowledge civilian harm was due to a reliance on “observable” evidence as proof – such as imagery captured by aircraft that showed civilians near the target area – while dismissing reliable reports from the ground.

Chris Woods, Airwars director, told The Independent: “The MoD says it can precisely determine that it’s killed 4,013 Isis fighters in Iraq and Syria since 2014, while at the same time insisting it’s impossible properly to determine civilian harm from these same actions.

“MoD casualty assessments are not fit for purpose when tracking civilian harm from RAF strikes.”

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The government said “information concerning enemies killed and wounded in action is based on the best available post-strike analysis.

“This information, however, is only given as an estimate as the UK is not in a position to visit airstrike sites inside Syria and verify the facts,” it added.

An MoD spokesperson said: “After every British airstrike we conduct detailed battle damage assessment, which thoroughly examines the outcome of the strike against its target, be it Daesh fighters, weapons, or bases.