Incident Code

CI074

Location

المسحك, Mishak, Salah Al Din, Iraq

Geolocation

35.1772266, 43.3992002
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: I053a)

In a report published in January 2016, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq cited an incident in Bayji which an alleged airstrike killed six civilians including four children. The Coalition has confirmed carrying out an airstrike in the vicinity.

According to UNAMI, “On 23 June, a house was allegedly targeted by an airstrike in Baiji district, Salah al-Din, which killed six civilians (including four children) and wounded eight others. The house was reported to have been located close to a mosque which, at the time of the attack, was occupied by ISIL. A local source from Baiji stated that the house was hit by mistake and that the target was the ISIL-occupied mosque. The source however could not confirm who carried out the airstrike.”

Local media also reported on the incident at the timem, with opinion divided on which party was responsible. According to Al Araby Iraqi planes “a report issued by the city of Baiji General Hospital said the eight dead included two children and a woman, while 27 others were injured” by Iraqi warplanes. Shafaaq noted that its local source “did not indicate whether it was an Iraqi plane or the international coalition led by the United States.”

 

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
6–8
4 Children
Civilians reported injured
8–27

Geolocation Notes

According to the UNAMI report, a civilian house was allegedly targeted in an airstrike in the Baiji district, Salah al-Din. Alaraby and other local sources reported the strike to have happened in the village of Al Mishak (المسحك), located 30 km north of Baiji, for which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 35.1772266, 43.3992002

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
No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
near Baiji, Iraq
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
The Coalition confirms carrying out an airstrike in the vicinity on June 8th-9th 2015: “Near Bayji, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL vehicles and an ISIL staging area.“
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2018-07-26
Original Source
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.