Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI141

Incident date

November 16, 2015

Location

الرمادي, Ramadi, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.437441, 43.286666 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family of six was reportedly killed after an alleged Coalition airstrike was said to have destroyed a car in the centre of Ramadi.

The source of the claim appeared to be the Russian Sputnik news service, which said those killed “are from poor families, unable to flee and under the control of Daesh in Ramadi.” Correspondent Raafat Alzerara was cited by local media as saying that “international coalition strikes have become more random recently, especially after the events of Paris.”

In its July 2017 report, the Coalition said it had classed the event as non credible on grounds of having conducted no strikes in the vicinity: “Nov. 16, 2015, near Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

However since strikes were reported at Ramadi for November 15th-17th, Airwars has requested additional information.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (4 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

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.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition confirmed heavy arstrikes at Ramadi on November 15th-16th 2015: “Near Ramadi, five strikes destroyed six separate ISIL command and control nodes, damaged an ISIL building, and denied ISIL access to terrain.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (4 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]