(Previous Incident Code: I221)

The second sequence of Coalition and Iraqi strikes on a major vehicle convoy (see June 29th) again destroyed hundreds of vehicles. But civilian casualties were again feared.

Iraqi Revolution reported in the early hours of June 30th the martyrdom and wounding of dozens of displaced families between Tarrah and Ramadi island, after the government and international aircraft targeted their vehicles.

In a later chronology of the attack, War is Boring reported: Shortly after the first convoy’s destruction, Iraqi military intelligence received reports of another Islamic State convoy — around 30 vehicles — leaving Fallujah in a northwesterly direction.

Next came reports of militants — apparently survivors of the first column — killing many civilians east of Ramadi. On June 30, the Iraqi army deployed a number of Bell 407 scout helicopters and Mil Mi-28 gunships to reconnoitre the situation.

After encountering automatic weapons fire, the Iraqi pilots began manoeuvring for position, but this time the U.S. Air Force ordered all helicopters to vacate the area. Once the Iraqis were away, fighter-bombers under CJTF-OIR’s control launched their own attacks.

In the following hours, Iraqi army aviation flew dozens of medical evacuation sorties with Mi-17 and EC.635 helicopters, evacuating injured civilians from the vicinity of the coalition’s air raids, including many children.

War is Boring also noted that Whether they [the children] were victims of reported ISIS attacks on the local population, or of U.S. airstrikes, is presently unclear.

In their February 6th 2021 civilian casualty assessment report, The US-led Coalition reviewed the June 30th incident and deemed this incident non-credible, stating: “After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action”. CJTF-OIR cited “insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition action resulted in civilian casualties”.