Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI080

Incident date

July 1, 2015

Location

تل الرمان, Mosul, Tel Ruman, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3154191, 43.088851 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

There were claims that up to 22 civilians were killed and 16 injured in Coalition airstrikes to the west of Mosul. Women and children were reported to be among the casualties.

In a January 2016 report, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq noted: “According to a source, on 1 July, 17 civilians, including four children and six women, were reportedly killed in an airstrike conducted in the al-Rifaie area of western Mosul, Ninewa. 11 other civilians were reportedly wounded. UNAMI/OHCHR was unable to verify the status of all the casualties nor who was responsible for the airstrike.”

In its monthly civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year – the Coalition assessed the event as ‘non credible’, noting that “July 1, 2015, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2782/CI080 38SLF284206”.

Coalition officials also provided Airwars with a geolocation to within 100 metres of the area reviewed. However, in light of the UN placing this event in the Rifai area of Mosul, the Coalition has re-opened this event for review.

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition again assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention two different neighbourhoods in the city of Mosul: the National Iraqi News Agency reports the strike to have targeted the neighbourhood of Tel Ruman (تل الرمان), for which the coordinates are: 36.3154191, 43.088851. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq mentioned the neighbourhood of Rifai (الرفاعي), for which the coordinates are: 36.354417, 43.098020.

  • The neighbourhoods of Tel Ruman (تل الرمان) and Rifai (الرفاعي) in the west of city of Mosul

    Imagery:
    © 2019 Google

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 22
  • (4 children6 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–16
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (3) [ collapse]

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
    in Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF293249
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • Dec 5, 2019
  • July 1, 2015, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2782/CI080 38SLF284206

  • July 1, 2015, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2782/CI080 38SLF293249

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Two strikes were reported in the vicinity for June 30th-July 1st 2015: “Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL building.”

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 22
  • (4 children6 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–16
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (3) [ collapse]