Airwars assessment
A reported evening airstrike by a drone or other Coalition aircraft at Hawijah was said to have killed five civilians and injured a further seven or more people.
Al Amaaq, the media wing of ISIS, reported the “Killing [of] five civilians and wounding of seven others in the bombing by a US aircraft in the evening at Hawija southwest of Kirkuk.”
A video at the time – since deleted by YouTube – showed destruction in the town.
Iraqi Revolution accused the Coalition of “targeting innocent people in southern Kirkuk, Hawija and the martyrdom and wounding dozens of civilians.”
The Coalition itself confirmed a strike in the immediate vicinity for September 17th-18th 2015, noting: “Near Al Huwayjah, one airstrike with inconclusive results.”
However, in its monthly civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of the same year – the US-led Coalition assessed this event as ‘non credible’, noting: “September 17, 2015, in Hawijah, 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. 2820/CI105 38SLE885097”.
The Coalition published a location for the assessment identifying to within 100 metres the area where it had focused its review.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (4) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
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US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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September 17, 2015, in Hawijah, 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. 2820/CI105 38SLE885097
Original strike reports
The Coalition has confirmed a strike in the immediate vicinity for September 17th-18th 2015, noting: “Near Al Huwayjah, one airstrike with inconclusive results.”