Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI088

Incident date

July 29, 2015

Location

الرطبة, Ar Rutbah, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.036997, 40.284076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that four non-combatants were killed and six injured in an alleged Coalition airstrike at Ar Rutbah.

According to Iraqi Revolution, “the alliance bombed Rutba in the morning, leading to the martyrdom and wounding of 10 civilians.”

Iraq Body Count, citing Xinhua [source now lost], said that four civilian fatalities had been reported at Rutbah on this date from “international airstrikes.”

In its civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year, the Coalition assessed this event as ‘not credible, asserting: “July 29, 2015, in Ar Rutbah, 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. 2787/CI088 37SFS199561”.

Officials published a location for the event to within 100 metres of where they had remotely assessed the incident.

The incident occured in the morning.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Rutbah (الرطبة), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.036997, 40.284076. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • 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 Ar Rutbah
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFS199561
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019
  • July 29, 2015, in Ar Rutbah, 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. 2787/CI088 37SFS199561

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No Coalition strikes were publicly reported in the vicinity of Ar Rutbah between July 28th-30th 2015.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (3) [ collapse]