Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI038

Incident date

February 8, 2015

Location

الموصل‎, 100km South of Mosul on ‘Road 1’, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.462108, 43.067723 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged coalition airstrike struck a vehicle on the road between Mosul and Baghdad, which was carrying Jordanian mosque janitor Ahmed Abdul Aqi [sometimes Baqi], his wife and daughter. All three died in the incident. The driver of the car Ahmed al Azzawi (pictured below) also died according to his family.

In a detailed report on the deaths, Alghad Press said that Aqi was making the trip because he was critically ill, and could not receive treatment in Islamic State-controlled hospitals. He had spent days getting the necessary ISIL permits to travel: “He was so poor that he had to sell some of his wife’s jewellery to pay for the trip by taxi.” The alleged airstrike on the vehicle was reported as occurring about 100km south of Mosul, near Kanu: “This was the third such incident in a week which had turned that only route out of the town into a dangerous trap for innocent civilians.

The cousin of the driver later confirmed to Airwars by email that Ahmed al Azzawi had died, along with Aqi’s family, in what he described as an airstrike.

 

The incident was first reported on February 8, 2015 at 11:39 pm by Facebook commemoration page by @Mosul.ateka.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Ahmed Abdul Aqi
Adult male Father killed
Wife of Ahmed Abdul Aqi
Adult female killed
Daughter of Ahmed Abdul Aqi
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmed al Azzawi
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child2 men)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Ahmed Abdul Aqi (via Google+ page)
  • Ahmed Al Azzawi, the driver of a car alleged to have been struck by a coalition aircraft (family photos via Facebook)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle travelling from Mosul to Baghdad, at approximately “100 km South of Mosul.” Coordinates for 100 km South of Mosul on ‘Road 1’ (the main route between Mosul and Baghdad) are: 35.462108, 43.067723

  • Map showing ‘Road 1’ between Mosul and Baghdad, with a 100 km radius marked in red.

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Point coordinates taken, West of Al Shirqat ( الشرقاط‎ )

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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
    38SLE246260
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 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

No public report from CJTF-OIR for February 7th-9th appears to match this incident.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child2 men)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]