Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI091

Incident date

August 8, 2015

Location

الرطبة, Ar Rutbah, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.036997, 40.284076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Coalition aircraft were alleged to have struck civilians some 15 km from Ar Rutbah, at the Haj Saleh Mraid Kubaisi glassworks factory. According to a number of sources, some families had fled the town for fear of airstrikes, only for members to be killed in an alleged Coalition attack on a civilian vehicle.

It was claimed by one source that four women from two displaced families were killed at the Mraid plant, with 10 children injured. The deceased women were said to come from the Haj Hammoud and Hajj Abtan al-Shami families.

An alternative source said that a small child, the son of Adib Tariq al-Shami had died along with two daughters of Nuri Faisal Abtan al-Shami.

Two more people were listed as injured.

The US led Coalition declared no strikes in  the vicinity at the time. In its monthly civilian casualty assessment for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year – CJTFOIR assessed this event to be ‘non credible’, noting: “August 8, 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. 2789/CI091 37SFS199561”.

The Coalition also provided coordinates showing the area it had assessed, accurate to within 100 metres.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nuri al-Faisal al-Shami Abtan
Age unknown male Had a foot amputated injured
Asaad Mahmoud Abu Shami
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 7
  • (2–3 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Two of six or more victim of an alleged Coalition strike near Ar Rutbah, Iraq on August 8 2015 (via Fayad Fayad)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)

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 Ar Rutbah, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFS199561
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019
  • August 8, 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. 2789/CI091 37SFS199561

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No Coalition strikes were publicly reported in the vicinity of Ar Rutbah for August 7th-9th 2015.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 7
  • (2–3 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]