Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI044

Incident date

February 25, 2015

Location

الرطبة, Ar Rutbah, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.037183, 40.285862 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Reuters, a Coalition airstrike caused significant casualties in Ar Rutbah: “Coalition planes bombed al-Rutba district, 385 km west of Baghdad, killing six Islamic State militants and 11 civilians, according to a source in the local hospital.”

ARA News placed the civilian death toll from coalition strikes at Rutba at 10.

In July 2017, the Coalition announced that it had classed the event as Non Credible on grounds of lack of available evidence of civilian harm: “Feb. 25, 2015, near Ar Rutbah, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

However based on reports at the time of the event, Airwars continues to class this event as Fair.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 11
  • 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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

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
    a:1:{i:0;s:21:"insufficient_evidence";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Ar Rutbah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The coalition reports a strike in the vicinity for February 25th-26th 2015: “Near Ar Rutbah, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 11
  • 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

Sources (2) [ collapse]