Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI632

Incident date

April 11, 2017

Location

سحاب, Mosul, al-Sahab, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “In the morning of 11 April, an airstrike reportedly killed a civilian man and wounded seven other civilians, including a woman, in the ISIL-controlled al-Siha neighbourhood of western Mosul. At the time of the incident, the victims were in their house, which lies near an ISIL compound. Both the compound and the house were reportedly hit by the airstrike.”

Airwars researchers have so far identified no known public allegations of civilians killed or injured relating to this incident.

In June 2019 the Coalition announced that it had assessed this allegation of civilian harm to be non-credible, noting “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

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 West Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF296244
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 27, 2019
  • Apr. 11, 2017, near West Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 10th-11th: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed a fighting position, a supply cache, a rocket-propelled grenade system, an anti-air artillery system, one VBIED; damaged a fighting position; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit and a mortar team.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]