(Previous Incident Code: I052)

Reports claimed that a second major airstrike in a matter of days struck the town of al-Hawijah south of Kirkuk, killing many non-combatants at the marketplace and a nearby bridge. A related peshmerga offensive against Islamic State was reported in the area. Video images show the devastated market area, with many areas left burning.

Almost all sources either did not attribute the airstrike to any one party, or blamed Iraqi security forces.

Shafaq News claimed that 50 died when aircraft “targeted Daesh near Hawija market,” though like some sources it did not describe the status of those killed. Al Jazeera was clear that those targeted were non-combatants: “According to witnesses the majority of the victims were killed in the popular market, which was packed with people during the bombing.”

In a United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq report issued in January 2016, UNAMI noted: “On 11 June, an airstrike reportedly hit an ISIL target near a market in Hawija, Kirkuk. According to a source, 10 civilians were killed and wounded in the incident. Other reports mentioned more than 60 civilians killed and over 80 wounded. UNAMI/OHCHR was unable to verify the exact number of casualties nor who was responsible for the airstrike.”