Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI827

Incident date

August 18, 2017

Location

Akashat, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.669497, 39.967918 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local press and other sources reported on the death of three civilians, all from the same family, in airstrikes on Al Rutba, 420 km west of Baghdad.

According to Amad Al-Dulaimi, the mayor of Ar Rutba, the family was killed following a bomb dropped by an unknown aircraft.

Sahafaty News also quoted the mayor who said that the bombing resulted in the death of a woman and her 13-year-old daughter and the wounding of her husband, he said that the injured bodies were taken to the general hospital.

It is unclear who was to blame for this civilian casualty incident. However, tracked sources do refer to the presence of the International Coalition in the area regarding strikes that resulted in Daesh casualties. Artillery shells were used, according to local sources.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Akashat, for which the coordinates are: 33.669497, 39.967918.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ 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 Ar Rutba, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFS1999055915
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 17th- 18th the Coalition did not report on any strikes in the Anbar Province.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]