Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI159

Incident date

December 16, 2015

Location

شارع السكلات, Hit, Alscalt Street, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.628342, 42.8341752 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

It was reported by several sources that the Coalition struck Hit city, resulting in the injury of eight civilians including three children and two women.

According to the local site Hit News, an airstrike struck a militant vehicle carrying weapons, ammunition and food, injuring civilians in the immediate vicinity. The Coalition has confirmed targeting an ‘ISIL home-made explosives cache’ in the city.

However in its July 2017 report, the Coalition classed the event as non credible saying it had not conducted strikes in the vicinity: “Dec. 16, 2015, near Hit, 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.”

Given that the Coalition had confirmed strikes at Hit on the day, Airwars has requested additional information form the Coalition – and continues to assess this as a possible event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Images of victims and the aftermath of the attack
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.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Hit, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 16th-17th 2015, the Coalition reported that “Near Hit, one strike destroyed an ISIL home-made explosives cache.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]