Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI676

Incident date

April 29, 2017

Location

الرفاعي, Mosul, Rifai, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3558497, 43.0937862 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local residents reported on Facebook that four civilians were killed in alleged Coalition airstrikes on Rifae neighborhood in West Mosul.

Bab Al Toob (local Facebook group) said that the two brothers Rami Adel Said and Ahmed Adel Said were among the victims in Rifae.

Iraqyoon Agency and Ninawa Media Center put the total death toll at four and said the Coalition had carried out the raids.

Mosul Daughters and Sawlf Ateka, other local Facebook groups, said that the young man Shahid Akram also died in West Mosul that day – though it was not stated whether this was in Rifae, nor who was responsible for the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Rami Adel Said
Adult male Brother of Ahmed Adel Said, worked at a computer office at a cultural centre killed
Ahmed Adel Said
Adult male Brother of Rami Adel Said, owned a shop for watches killed

The victims were named as:

Shahid Akram
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Rami Adel Said and his brother Ahmed reportedly died after alleged Coalition strikes hit Rifae neighbourhood in West Mosul (via Bab Al Toob, Facebook)
  • Shahid Akram was also reportedly killed in Rifai neighbourhood, local sources said (via Sawlf Ateka)
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 Rifai neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • 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. (1402)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 28th-29th: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed four mortar systems, two supply caches, an anti-air artillery system, a tactical vehicle, and an ISIS staging area; damaged seven ISIS supply routes; and suppressed an ISIS mortar team” and “Near Mosul, Iraq; on April 29th, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two fighting positions, two weapons caches, one mortar system, and one front-end loader; and suppressed a heavy machine gun.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 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 (5) [ collapse]