Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI653

Incident date

April 19, 2017

Location

المدينة القديمة, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Relatives reported that four or more members of the Al-Fakhri family were among those who died after airstrikes hit their house in Old Mosul.

Iraqi Spring Media Centre reported: “Eyewitnesses reported that nine civilians from two families were killed in aerial bombardment of coalition forces and artillery. The government forces targeted residential houses in the vicinity of Al Hayah neighbourhood on the right side of Mosul, including six of the family of the former Iraqi army’s Hisham Sabah al-Fakhri.” Iraqyoon also blamed the Coalition.

 

The incident was first reported on April 20, 2017 at 3:37 am by Iraqyoon Agency.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Salwa Hashim al-Fakhri
Adult female Mother killed
Ali Hussein Qasim al-Fakhri
Adult male Father killed
Hassan Ali al-Fakhri
Adult male Son killed
Hashem Ali al-Fakhri
Adult male Son killed

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident only mention Old Mosul. The generic coordinates for Old Mosul are: 36.34075 43.126911

  • The Old City boundary, Mosul

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 9
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Hassan Ali al-Fakhri and his son Hassan. They reportedly died together with two other family members in Coalition airstrikes on West Mosul, on April 19th (via Iraqyoon Agency)
  • Hashim Ali Hussein Qasim al-Fakhri
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 Al Hayah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 18th-19th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, eight strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units, destroyed 11 fighting positions, six rocket-propelled grenade systems, five anti-air artillery systems, four medium machine guns, four VBIEDs, a weapons cache, a front-end loader, an ISIS vehicle, a command and control node; and suppressed four fighting positions, four ISIS supply routes and four ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 9
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]