Cleared by Fire

Just over 20 years ago, United States Marines killed 25 civilians in the town of Haditha, Iraq. Among the dead were mothers, fathers, brothers, and children, including a 3-year-old girl. Despite the alleged war crimes perpetrated that day, and what became one of the most high-profile war crime prosecutions in history, no one spent a day in prison. The interactive documentary Cleared by Fire weaves together two stories. One follows Khalid Jamal, who was 14 years old when his father and three uncles were killed, as he searches for accountability and understanding. The other examines the conflicting accounts from the soldiers alongside the testimonies from Iraqi civilians and government reports. Drawing on hundreds of sources—including newly obtained crime scene photography, government reports, drone footage, and interviews—the documentary recreates the scene of the killings in 3D, allowing viewers to examine the events in stark detail. Meticulous attention to detail and rigorous reporting underpin a gripping and often haunting narrative that sifts through contradictions in search of the truth. The final piece is a stunning, cinematic work of journalism. For reminding audiences that victims of war, even one fought far away and decades ago, are people whose lives mattered and whose stories deserve to be told, Cleared by Fire wins a Peabody Award.