Incident Code

CI036

Location

الموصل‎, Kisik Junction, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34585235, 43.09857692
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: I023a)

An internal post-strike review for CENTCOM of full-motion video revealed a “possible child entering a targeted bunker and then disappearing out of the field of view (FOV) approximately 19 minutes before Strike.”

The dynamic strike, conducted by a French Mirage 2000 using a Bu-49 bomb, killed an estimated five enemy fighters.

Claims that a child had died were deemed “not credible” by military intelligence officers, who decided “that individuals struck were fighters.“

Airwars researchers could find no reference to a child fatality for this date, although reports did note an intensification of Coalition strikes on the city.

In July 2017 the Coalition said that based on available evidence, it had classed the event as non credible. It has also referenced Airwars not having found any other reporting of civilian casualties other than the internal CENTCOM document: “Feb. 3, 2015, near Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report: 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.”

 

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Civilians reported killed
1
1 Child

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Kisik Junction (الموصل‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.34585235, 43.09857692. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
near Mosul, Iraq
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2017-07-07
Original Source
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.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2015-05-01
Original Source
CFACC observed a possible child entering a targeted bunker and then disappearing out of the field of view approximately 19 min before the strike. CJTF-OIR conducted a dynamic strike on the targeted bunker by Rage 43 (M-2000 FRA) using BU-49 resulting in 5 EKIA. Not credible. INT reflections that individuals struck were fighters