Blackwater controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2007
Nisour Square killings
On September 16, 2007, a group of Blackwater guards opened fire in Baghdad's Nisour Square, killing 17 Iraqi civilians and wounding 20 others according to the company's principal reference account. The incident generated criminal cases, congressional investigations, diplomatic repercussions, and broader debate about contractor accountability. Four employees were later convicted in the United States and received presidential pardons in 2020.