Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI846

Incident date

September 13, 2017

Location

Al Zab district of Hawijah, Kirkuk, Iraq

Geolocation

35.394648, 43.574524 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Yaqin reported on the death of five civilians following US or Iraqi airstrikes on the district of Haweija, in the Tamim area.

A source reportedly told Yaqin, The Joint Air Force bombed several areas in Hawija district, killing five people. The source added: the shelling caused a state of terror among the population and caused the demolition of a number of houses for citizens.

A possibly more accurate location was documented in a report by Iraq News, which noted shells fired by US artillery on the villages of Al Zab district of Haweija, located in the area of Al Qaraj. However, Iraq News did not mention civilian casualties.

No further details are available at present.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that the alleged Coalition airstrike targeted villages in the Al Zab subdistrict of the Hawijah district in the Tamim (Kirkuk) governorate. The coordinates for the Al Zab subdistrict are: 35.394648, 43.574524. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further

  • Al Zab subdistrict

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

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 al Zab district, Hawijah, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLE705177
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 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 September 12th- 13th the Coalition reported “Near Hawijah, three strikes destroyed six ISIS tunnel.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]