White House Counts 64 to 116 Civilians Killed by Airstrikes Outside War Zones The Obama administration announced its estimate of civilians killed by drones.

 -- The White House today announced that 64 to 116 civilians have died from U.S. airstrikes outside "areas of active hostilities" during President Obama's term.

The number does not include deaths in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, where there are "active hostilities," under the administration's definition.

As recently as April, Obama defended the controversial drone program, fielding questions from students at the University of Chicago Law School and saying the rate of civilian casualties from drones was far lower than that of conventional warfare.

"The challenge for me as commander in chief has consistently been how do you think about this new technology in a way that is consistent with morality, ideals, laws of war, but is also consistent with my first priority as president and commander in chief, which is to keep all of you safe," Obama said.

In the past, some human rights watch groups have said the administration has undercounted the real number of civilians killed as a result of drone strikes.

Along with releasing the previously secret numbers, the president issued an executive order to make the protection of civilians a priority in carrying out drone strikes and to offer condolences and compensation to injured civilians or the family members of slain civilians.

“The U.S. Government shall maintain and promote best practices that reduce the likelihood of civilian casualties, take appropriate steps when such casualties occur, and draw lessons from our operations to further enhance the protection of civilians,” the executive order reads.