Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI037

Incident date

December 3, 2015

Location

حميدات, Humaidat, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.40389, 42.9789 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children were reportedly killed in an alleged Coalition strike on the town of Hemidiat to the west of Mosul.

According to Shafaqna and others, the strike hit the commercial district of the town: “The death of two children has beeen reported from an aerial bombardment by international Coalition aircraft west of Mosul. Early detection of a local source, on Thursday, reports the death of two children in an aerial bombardment by planes of the so-called international alliance which targeted Hmeidat west of the city of Mosul.”

In its monthly civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year, the Coalition assessed the event as ‘non credible’, noting that “February 3, 2015, in Humaidat, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2781/CI037 38SLF188306”

Coalition officials also provided Airwars with a geolocation to within 100 metres of the area reviewed.

However, Airwars had initially wrongly placed this event on February 3rd 2015 on its website. This has now been corrected, and the Coalition has re-opened the incident for review.

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Location for Hemedat village (Humaidat    حميداتx) 36.40389 42.9789

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (5) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    in Humaidat, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF187306
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • Dec 5, 2019
  • February 3, 2015, in Humaidat, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2781/CI037 38SLF188306

  • Dec. 3, 2015, in Humaidat, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2781/CI037 38SLF187306

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition reported one strike nearby for December 2nd-3rd: “Near Mosul, two strikes destroyed an ISIL vehicle.“

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (5) [ collapse]