Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI587

Incident date

March 29, 2017

Location

دكة بركة, Mosul, Dakat Baraka, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.344722, 43.121111

Airwars assessment

City reports including MNN said that Mohamed Ismail Younis, a local swimming coach, was killed by mortar fire along with two more civilians.

Shafaaq said that the mortar hit his home in the Dakat Baraka neighbourhood. The sources did not say who carried out the shelling, though said that Mr Younis and two others died.

In February 2019, the Coalition assessed this event to be non-credible. Their reported noted: “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohamed Ismail Younis
Adult male Swimming coach killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 man)
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mohammed Ismail Younis - a local Mosul swimming coach - allegedly died when an unspecified mortar hit his home in Dakat Barka (via Sawlf Ateka Facebook page)
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
  • Stated location
    near the Dakat Baraka neighborhood of Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF318244
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 28, 2019
  • Dec 28, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties. (1077)

  • Mar. 29, 2017, near Dakat Barka, Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report (previously closed, but the CIVCAS cell reopened it due to new information). After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For March 27th-28th: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, three mortar systems, two VBIEDs, a tactical vehicle, an artillery system, a VBIED facility, and a vehicle; damaged 11 supply routes; and suppressed four ISIS tactical units and two ISIS mortar teams.”

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 man)
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]