Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI104

Incident date

September 14, 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

The marketplace in Ar Rutbah was hit in an alleged Coalition airstrike according to reports, killing up to five people and injuring eight more.

An adult male and a young male child were pictured among the dead.

Iraqi Revolution for example reported that “heavy shelling targeted Rutba focused on the market and fuel station and bread ovens; and there are dozens of dead and wounded civilians.”

Photographs published on local sites showed some of the strikes and people fleeing; and a number of destroyed buildings and bodies, some with severed limbs.

In its monthly civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of the same year – the US-led Coalition assessed this event as ‘non credible’, noting: “September 14, 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. 2819/CI104 37SFS203560”.

The Coalition published a location for the assessment identifying to within 100 metres the area where it had focused its review.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Reported Coalition strike on Ar Rutbah, Sept 14 2015 (via Rutbah News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child allegedly injured in the attack and his lost body parts (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Rutbah News)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Rutbah News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Man allegedly killed in the strike (via Rutbah News)

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
    37SFS203560
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019
  • September 14, 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. 2819/CI104 37SFS203560

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No Coalition strikes were publicly confirmed in the direct vicinity for September 14th-15th 2015, though it was noted that “Near Ramadi, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL house-borne IED, an ISIL VBIED, five ISIL buildings, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL motorcycle.”

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (9) [ collapse]