Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI874a

Incident date

January 27, 2018

Location

البغدادي , Al Baghdadi, Al Anbar, Iraq

Airwars assessment

Eight people including a woman and six police officers were reported killed and 20 others including two women severely injured in an alleged US-led Coalition strike on Al Baghdadi, west of Anbar province on January 27th, 2018, according to multiple local sources. Reports said that the strike “mistakenly struck a gathering of local security forces”, also killing five policemen and the director of al-Baghdadi district, Sharhabil al-Obeidi, and the police chief Colonel Colonel Salam al-Obeidi.

11 of those killed and injured belong to two families.

Dotmsr reported: “An Iraqi official announced that eight people were killed, most of them security forces, and about 20 others were wounded, including a senior officer after, an attack by an international coalition aircraft mistakenly struck a gathering of local security forces in the town of al-Baghdadi in the western Anbar province.

“The official, who asked not to be named, said that eight people, including a police intelligence officer Baghdadi and five policemen and two civilians were killed after the bombing by International Alliance aircraft in the town center”.

Altaghier.tv said that an American helicopter carried out the raid, killing “seven people and wounding 20 more”.

According to Yaqein, “US aircraft bombed a convoy of vehicles belonging to the popular crowd militia west of Anbar province, killing about 20 people, including the director of al-Baghdadi district, Sharhabil al-Obeidi, and the police chief Colonel Colonel Salam al-Obeidi.” The source add that the helicopter struck the convoy as it was “headed to the house of Sheikh Al-Obeid of the Sheikh Maadi al-Obeidi tribe, 90 km west of Ramadi.”

Mahmood Abdulkhaliq reported that an arrest was carried out as a house was raided…Iraqi Security Forces and police then arrived at the scene, and then one of the US aircraft launched a bombing on the site, which led to the death and wounding about 27 civilians and security forces, including the director of the district and the director of police Baghdadi.”

Almaalomah added that “Angry residents in Anbar province expressed their disapproval and dismay at the criminal operation of the US Air Force, which resulted in the death and wounding of more than 20 people, while calling on the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Haider Abadi to refer the attacking force to the international judiciary.

Mohammed al-Obeidi called on all to “condemn these acts and refer the American soldiers who committed these foolish acts to international courts “.

Local sources said the following got killed in the attack: Ghajban Naji Saadoun, Haidar Sadek Karim Makhlaf, Gheith Natik kareem, Ahmed Karim Makhlaf, Makhlaf Natik Kareem, Tahrir Mahmood, Maraw Mdi Kerb, Col.Salm Al Obeidi (Abdul Salam Al Obeidi). 

The Joint Operation Command’s Communication Unit said that the Command requested an investigation into what happened in that attack.

 

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male injured
Age unknown male injured
Adult male Died later because of his injuries. Other sources named him Salam Abdullah Ahmed Fahed killed
Age unknown male injured
Age unknown The commander of the second group, a popular crowd injured
Age unknown male Not clear whether this is the same as Abdul Salam ObaidiDirector of Police Baghdad injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (6 other civilian non-combatants)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–20
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–8

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Images shared by Naynawa Alghad in the aftermath of a US led coalition airstrike on a gathering of local security forces in al-Baghdadi, Al Anbar, Iraq on January 27th, 2018.
  • Images shared by Naynawa Alghad in the aftermath of a US led coalition airstrike on a gathering of local security forces in al-Baghdadi, Al Anbar, Iraq on January 27th, 2018.
  • Aftermath of an alleged US-led coalition airstrike on a gathering of local security forces in al-Baghdadi, Al Anbar, Iraq on January 27th, 2018.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Clarification: The Joint Operations Command has received accurate intelligence about the presence of a terrorist leader, Kareem'Abat Ali al-Sammarid, in a house in al-Baghdadi district to meet with a terrorist cell preparing to carry out operations against security forces and citizens. On the basis of this information, a force from the 8th Infantry Brigade was immediately assigned and air support from the International Alliance aircraft to raid the scene, arrest the wanted terrorist, and after the raid and arrest of the terrorist Karim Afat Ali Al-Samramd. During the search and collection of evidence, A neighboring house, which was called to respond quickly and then withdrew to the headquarters of the departure of the force and on the way back, a group of gunmen was observed without coordination with the force in charge of duty, where they targeted aircraft holding the force was carried out at 0200 hours on Saturday 27 January 2018 Wu Hut Joint Special Operations Command to open an investigation of the incident and bring you details later.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (6 other civilian non-combatants)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–20
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–8

Sources (11) [ collapse]