US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Civilians in the ruins of Mosul city. (Maranie R. Staab)

Belligerent
US-led Coalition
Country
Iraq
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

CI746

Incident date

June 3, 2017

Location

الشفاء والزنجيلي, Mosul, Zanjili and Shifa, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that more than 300 civilians were killed during two days of fighting in Zanjili and Shifa neighborhoods, in West Mosul. The loss of life was reportedly caused by ISIL shooting on fleeing civilians, as well as by airstrikes carried out by Iraqi Forces and the international Coalition.

Sawlf Ateka Facebook page quoted the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, which had reported that 250 civilians had died.

Eyewitnesses and a doctor from the Nineveh Department of Health told Al Araby News that “at least 300 civilians were killed in the past two days during the shelling on the city, and because of executions and ISIL snipers.” The doctor furthermore said that “the streets of Zanjili, Shifa and the Old City are scattered with bodies of civilians of different ages, and the medical teams have not been able to pull them [from the streets] so far, because of continued fighting and shelling and because the army leadership prevented the entry of medical teams and civil defense to recover the bodies of the victims.”

The news site also cited local media who were accompanying the Iraqi security forces in the battle of Mosul. They had reported that US aircraft had launched missiles containing toxic white phosphorous in the bombing of Shifa. A military spokesman of the Joint Operations Command, however, denied the use of White Phosphorous.

Sources had also told Yaqein that “dozens of bodies were scattered around as they [civilians] had tried to flee the Zanjili neighborhood of Mosul, while bags with their belongings were spread on the street on the way out of the neighborhood.” Yaqein spoke of more than 100 bodies.

In a later report, Alaraby spoke to a doctor, who reported over 30 bodies had arrived at the hospital he works at, and dozens of others in various field hospitals. He said some of the bodies had been hit by gunfire from a close distance. Others had died from shrapnel as a result of “Iraqi” bombing and artillery shelling, according to the newspaper.

Survivors had told the doctor that dozens of bodies were still under the rubble of destroyed houses. “One of the survivors who managed to escape spoke of the presence of seven members of her family under the rubble of her demolished house in Zanjili district.”

Journalists around the World and Enlib posted drone images on Facebook showing the aftermath of the destruction in the neighbourhood.

Naqa Al Yasimin said on Facebook that Mullah Walid Khaled was among the dead. He used to be the owner of a famous shop, called Tarshi Smak. Moreover, a local citizen, Yasin Mahmood, posted a handwritten list on Facebook with the names of 106 civilians that were reported wounded in Zanjili.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mullah Walid Khaled
Adult male Owner of a famous shop called Tarshi Smak killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    250 – 300
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    106
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces, ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A list with the names of the many injured civilians in Zanjili neighbourhood after heavy shelling took place (via Yasin Mahmood, Facebook)
  • Continued list of victims (via Yasin Mahmood, Facebook)
  • Imagery from above showing victims of the attack
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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • 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 and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 2nd-June 3rd the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and a sniper; destroyed 21 fighting positions, three medium machine guns, three mortar systems, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, and two VBIEDs; damaged five fighting positions; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit and mortar team.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

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

ISIS Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    250 – 300
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    106
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces, ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI812

Incident date

July 15, 2017

Location

الميدان, Al Maydan, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.335556, 43.125 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A number of local sources reported that 300 civilians were killed and 400 more were wounded – said to be mostly women and children – following alleged Coalition and Iraqi government airstrikes in the Al Maydan neighbourhood of Mosul.

All four sources who reported the deaths alleged that both the Coalition and the Iraqi government were responsible, without making direct allegations against either party.

No further details were available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    300
  • Civilians reported injured
    400
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Meydan (الميدان) in Old Mosul, for which the coordinates are: 36.335556, 43.125000.

  • Old City of Mosul (موصل القديمة)

    Imagery:
    © 2019 Google

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
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF317227
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 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 14th-15th, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes destroyed two ISIS vehicles and a VBIED facility.” It additionally reported that “On July 14, near Mosul, Iraq, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 11 tunnel entrances.”

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
    300
  • Civilians reported injured
    400
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI802

Incident date

July 7, 2017

Location

المدينة القديمة, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A number of local sources claimed that more than 1,000 civilians had been killed or wounded over a week-long period as a result of alleged Coalition and Iraqi government bombardment of Old Mosul over recent days. However further details were sparse.

Iraq News Center reported that the number of civilian casualties buried under the rubble was so high that civilian defense teams had been unable to keep up in their attempts to recover them, and many remain buried there.

Activist Ali al Hamdani told Alaraby that “intensive bombing” by Iraqi forces was putting many thousands of civilians at risk because they aim to “resolve the battle quickly, without thinking about the fate of the trapped population”.

He added: “Death threatens thousands of civilians, while the bodies of others are still lying in the streets of the liberated areas, some of which are buried in public squares and gardens.”

Three of the five sources claimed that the Iraqi government was responsible. Meanwhile one alleged that both the Iraqi government and the Coalition was responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    300
  • Civilians reported injured
    700
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Old City of Mosul (موصل القديمة), for which the coordinates are: 36.34075, 43.126911.

  • Old City of Mosul (موصل القديمة)

    Imagery:
    © 2019 Google

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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 28, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For July 6th-7th, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed one fighting position, damaged one fighting position, and suppressed a mortar system.”

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
    300
  • Civilians reported injured
    700
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI772

Incident date

June 18, 2017

Location

الموصل: غرب, Mosul, West (Shifa and Zanjili), Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.336843, 43.117979 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Colonel Talal Najm al-Hamdani, from the Directorate of Civil Defense of Nineveh, said that about 200 bodies had been recovered over a 48 hour period in different parts of West Mosul.

In an interview with Al Araby al Jadeeda, Colonerl al-Hamdani estimated that as many as 4,000 bodies remained under the rubble of West Mosul as a result of recent fighting. Of the 200 bodies recovered by volunteers, some had lain there for up to three months he believed, and were now skeletons.

One local assistance group accused the government of orchestrating a coverup of the deaths.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    200
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An image showing a rescue team after the fighting
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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

See Coalition daily reports for February-June 2017.

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
    200
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI794

Incident date

June 30, 2017

Location

الموصل القديمة, Mosul, Old City neighbourhoods, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local press and resident sources said that dozens to hundreds of civilians, including the bodies of ‘hundreds of children and women’, were under the rubble in various areas in Old Mosul. Heavy shelling and air strikes had allegedly hit their homes. Local media provided striking accounts of streets filled with dead bodies, and called for help to save the families under the rubble.

The Nineveh Media Center and mutliple other sources said that “hundreds of bodies of civilians [were] under the rubble in the areas of the Great Mosque and Sargkhana and Ras al-Kor and Bab Laksh and in the vicinity of Khalid Bin Al-Walid Street.” It said that most of these civilians died in air strikes.

Mosul Eye (local press) reported the same information on Facebook, launching the following appeal: “We urge the Coalition to immediately intervene in rescuing tens of families who are still under the rubble as the civil defence teams are not capable of rescuing them. There are tens of children and women who still alive under the rubble at those locations. Those areas are already liberated .. they must be rescued immediately now. All the area around this: 36.343166, 43.121770.”

Iraqyoon Agency also said that Iraqi civil defense teams were no longer able to do the rescue work, given the “magnitude of the disaster”.

In a striking account, Alaraby News said on Friday June 30th that: “In the streets, the bodies of civilians fill the sidewalks, and inside the destroyed houses there is evidence that dozens of bodies are beneath [the rubble], where smells are emitted and dogs are barking around, amid reports that hundreds of civilians have been hit by shelling in their homes during the past two days.”

A rescue worker had furthermore told Al Jazeera news that “the area around the [Grand Nuri] mosque has dozens of bodies that are still under the rubble and have not been removed for days.”

According to Al Jazeera, the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights spoke with eyewitnesses who had managed to flee the Old city and said that heavy shelling killed dozens of civilians. The witnesses could not say what the exact source of the bombing was.

BBC Arabic published video material and interviews with eyewitnesses who were still trapped in Old Mosul. One woman in the reportage said that her son was killed by an air strike, and she only needs to bury his body.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 100
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–100
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Local media launched an urgent call to save dozens of families who were still under the rubble of destroyed buildings in the marked areas in Old Mosul. Hundreds of lives were at risk (via Mosul Eye, Facebook)
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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 29th-30th the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed 14 fighting positions, four supply caches, two tunnels, and a mortar system; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.” It additionally reported that “On June 29, near Mosul, Iraq, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed seven fighting positions and two medium machine guns, and damaged eight supply routes.”

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 100
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–100
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI805

Incident date

July 9, 2017

Location

الميدان في موصل القديمة, Al Meydan, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.335556, 43.125 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Omar al Halbusi, an Iraqi blogger, claimed that roughly 100 civilians were killed and 220 others were injured in alleged artillery bombardment by the Coalition and the Iraqi government on the Al Meydan area of Old Mosul in the two days prior to July 9th.

Ninawa Media Center added that 30 families which made up roughly 100 people – comprising of children, the elderly and the wounded – were also besieged in the Al Meydan area of the city and have had no access to food or water for three days. It said most of them were wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    100
  • Civilians reported injured
    100–220
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For July 8th-9th, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed 21 fighting positions, six IEDs, four medium machine guns, three staging areas, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, and a VBIED facility; and damaged six fighting positions.” It additionally reported that “On July 8, near Mosul, Iraq, one strike engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a heavy machine gun, a fighting position, a medium machine gun, and a sniper position.”

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
    100
  • Civilians reported injured
    100–220
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI790

Incident date

June 29, 2017

Location

الموصل القديمة, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34766, 43.12058 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local residents and press sources said that at least 80 civilians were killed and others injured – mostly children and women – after shelling and airstrikes hit their houses near the Al Nouri Mosque in the ongoing battle for the liberation of Old Mosul.

Half of the civilians died as a result of air strikes, said Alaraby news.

Yaqein Agency put the death toll at 82 civilians and said this was the work of the Joint Forces and their ground forces.

A senior Coalition official informed Airwars on July 5th that “It is primarily Coalition aircraft conducting AIR strikes in Mosul. It has been a number of weeks since the Iraqis flew there.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    40 – 82
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Scenes of destruction after heavy shelling and air strikes on Old Mosul (via Iraqi Spring Media Center)
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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF313241
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 28th-29th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed 13 fighting positions, two weapons caches, a mortar system; and suppressed three fighting positions.” It additionally reported that “On June 28, near Mosul, Iraq, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed four fighting positions, three medium machine guns, a supply cache, a mortar system, a staging area, and a heavy machine gun; damaged two fighting positions and two ISIS supply routes; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    40 – 82
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI758

Incident date

June 11, 2017

Location

المدينة القديمة, Mosul, Old City neighbourhoods, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple local sources, as well as sources in the Iraqi army, reported that dozens of civilians were killed or injured in the fighting for the liberation of Shifa, Zanjili and Health neighbourhoods in Old Mosul.

Alaraby news said that Iraqi forces allegedly used heavy shelling and air strikes on the area in an attempt to defeat ISIL.

Iraqi Spring Media Center also reported that “more than 80 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed by heavy shelling targeting the old areas of Mosul.” The Center did not say who was responsible for the raids.

Al Arabi al Jadeed cited an officer in the Nineveh Command centre as saying that “the difficult reality on the ground means Iraqi forces are having to resort to continuous shelling against the attacks and defenses of ISIL, which has caused dozens of civilian casualties, and the destruction of dozens of homes.”

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “Early morning 11 June, in al-Borsa area next to al-Markaziya high school, in ISIL-controlled al-Shifaa neighbourhood in west Mosul, an airstrike hit a house, killing 19 civilians from two families.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 80
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (3) [ 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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Zanjili, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 10th-11th: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed five fighting positions, two mortar systems, two VBIEDs, a supply cache, and an explosives cache; and suppressed a mortar team.”

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 80
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]