Airwars assessment
Summary: A devastating airstrike on the Mosul neighbourhood of Rifai reportedly killed numerous non-combatants and injured up to 150 people. Among those killed in the event was Ayman al Hayali (who ran a clothing shop) and his family, including his wife and young son.
Other sources claimed that 5 women and at least 3 children were among the dead, including a girl named Habiba aged four.
According to most media, the deaths and injuries occurred after a house used by Islamic State to store ammunition was hit by the coalition, leading to major secondary explosions in the vicinity of the Bahauddin mosque.
Mosul TV cited a local eyewitness as saying that “seven houses and five shops were completely destroyed” in the attack, and that scuffles broke out between survivors and militants over ISIL’s policy of storing munitions in a civilian neighbourhood. Local people also urged the coalition to be far more careful in its targeting.
In a later report issued January 2016 the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) noted: “On 22-23 May, UNAMI/OHCHR received a report that airstrikes hit al-Najjar, al-Rifai and Sahaa areas in western Mosul in Ninewa, allegedly killing 30 civilians and wounding 62 others, including women and children. UNAMI/OHCHR was not able to verify this report.”
The incident occured around dusk.
- Ayman al Hayali Adult male killed
- Habiba 4 years old female killed
Summary
Sources (19) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]
Reports of the incident mention Rifai neighborhood (حي جلاقة) and that civilians were harmed in proximity to “Bahauddin mosque”, in the adjacent ar-Rabi/al-Najjar (حي النجار) neighbourhood. The location for the affected area (75 m radius from point) based on geolocation of images: 36.360033, 43.098733
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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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
The coalition has described destroying “an ISIL cache” in the vicinity of Mosul on May 21st 2015: “Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL tunnel systems, an ISIL motorcycle, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL cache.”