Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI343

Incident date

November 18, 2016

Location

تل عفر, Tall Afar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.375659, 42.451536 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Dozens of civilians were killed or wounded in Tal Afar due to airstrikes and shelling, according to many local sources.

Yaqein reported that scores of unarmed civilians were killed by Coalition strikes as well as selling by government-aligned militias. A source told Yaqein that Tal Afar hospital is currently teeming with dozens of people injured due to indiscriminate shelling of the [Coalition] alliance and militia.

Several other outlets, including News of Iraq, reported both airstrikes as well as shelling from Popular Mobilization units.

Al Jazeera said that dozens of civilians were killed or wounded, but also reported that the Iraqi Defense Ministry said that the Iraqi Air Force was involved in bombing raids.

Fursan al Malhama noted fighting in the area involving government-aligned militias and claimed that 15 militia members had been killed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An image shows smoke rising from the scene of reported airstrikes and shelling (via news ofiraq3)
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 Tal Afar, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 17th-18th, the Coalition reported no strikes “near Tal Afar” but did report “Near Kisik, one strike destroyed a mortar system and suppressed a bunker” and “Near Sinjar, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.“ For November 18th-19th, the Coalition reported no strikes “near Tal Afar” but did report “Near Kisik, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building and a mortar system.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]