Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI714

Incident date

May 15, 2017

Location

الرفاعي, Mosul, Rifae, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “On 15 May, an airstrike targeting passing ISIL vehicles damaged a civilian house in the ISIL-controlled al- Rifae neighbourhood of western Mosul, killing five civilians, including two women and a child, and wounding 11 others, including three women and three children.”

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (1) [ 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
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 14th-15th: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and a sniper; destroyed 12 fighting positions, five vehicles, two mortar systems, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, two heavy machine guns, two anti-air artillery systems, two VBIEDs, and a weapons storage facility; damaged ten ISIS supply routes, a fighting position, and a VBIED facility; and suppressed two ISIS tactical units.”

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]