Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CI088

Location

الرطبة, Ar Rutbah, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.036997, 40.284076
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: I064)

Local sources reported that four non-combatants were killed and six injured in an alleged Coalition airstrike at Ar Rutbah.

According to Iraqi Revolution, “the alliance bombed Rutba in the morning, leading to the martyrdom and wounding of 10 civilians.”

Iraq Body Count, citing Xinhua [source now lost], said that four civilian fatalities had been reported at Rutbah on this date from “international airstrikes.”

In its civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year, the Coalition assessed this event as ‘not credible, asserting: “July 29, 2015, in Ar Rutbah, 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. 2787/CI088 37SFS199561”.

Officials published a location for the event to within 100 metres of where they had remotely assessed the incident.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Contested strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
6

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Rutbah (الرطبة), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.036997, 40.284076. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
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 Ar Rutbah
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
37SFS199561
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
No Coalition strikes were publicly reported in the vicinity of Ar Rutbah between July 28th-30th 2015.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2019-12-05
Original Source
July 29, 2015, in Ar Rutbah, 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. 2787/CI088 37SFS199561