Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI797

Incident date

July 2, 2017

Location

حي الزنجيلي, Mosul, Zanjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3502851, 43.1098795 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local medical sources reported that civil defense teams had pulled as many as 74 bodies from the rubble in Zanjili neighbourhood (West/Old Mosul). The civilians had died as a result of different kinds of shelling on their houses.

Airwars researchers contacted local medical sources, who said a total number of 74 civilians were killed. This number was also reported by Iraqyoon news agency, which said that “ambulances, forensic doctors and civil defense in Mosul recovered 74 bodies from the streets of Zanjili area northwest of Mosul, near the Pepsi plant. The bodies were seen to have the effects of disintegration. Most of them were women and children who were shot by Daesh as they tried to flee the area controlled by the organization.”

Urgent Mosul news posted a series of graphic photos of bodies being pulled from the rubble by civil defense members.

Yaqein said that the Joint Forces had carried out the raids – but did not specify whether the Coalition and/or Iraqi aircraft were involved.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    74
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Images of the aftermath
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 Zanjili, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF303244
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 27, 2018
  • 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 July 1st-July 2nd the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and a sniper team; destroyed 13 fighting positions, eight IEDs, three medium machine guns, and a supply cache; damaged 11 fighting positions; and suppressed four sniper teams and two ISIS tactical units.” It additionally reported that “On July 1, near Mosul, Iraq, one strike destroyed an ISIS-held building and damaged four supply routes.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    74
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (4) [ collapse]