Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI510

Incident date

March 5, 2017

Location

الدواسة, Mosul, Dawassa area, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.332586, 43.1388688 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local and press sources said between 64 and 130 civilians were killed in total and many others injured by different kind of bombing during the Iraqi offensive to control the governmental compound in Dawassa at the right side of Mosul.

Mosul Eye reported that “the number of civilian casualties today has risen to more than 130 civilians [who] have been killed because of the bombings and battles, and 12 victims were exposed to Daesh [ISIL] snipers.”

Yaqein said the Iraqi government was responsible, and spoke of 64 civilians killed.

Iraq News posted two pictures of a father who reportedly lost all his family members in the bombings except his little daughter.

In another post, Iraq News said “US Apache helicopters [were] flying heavily” in support of Iraqi government forces. Iraq Eye also suggested active involvement of the Coalition: “International coalition using Apache helicopters, artillery, mortars and rocket power and smart bombs in the battle of the right coast, which gave Iraqi forces [a] quick advance to liberate [the] more older [neighbourhoods] and the ability to accelerate the resolution of those tough battles.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    64 – 130
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Massive destruction in Dawassa neighbourhood in Mosul (via Moghred_Ninawa, Twitter)
  • A man with his daughter after the alleged bombings (via Yaqein)
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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For March 4th-March 5th it said: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and a rocket-propelled grenade team; destroyed nine fighting positions, a heavy machine gun, an ISIS-held building, and a mortar system; damaged 26 supply routes; and suppressed 15 mortar teams.”

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
    64 – 130
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]