Airwars assessment
Reuters reported that “About 20 people, including at least 12 civilians, were killed on Monday in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, in two air strikes that destroyed houses believed to be used by Islamic State militants, six eyewitnesses and a medical source said.” According to the international news agency, “The two strikes happened within a 10-minute gap at about 3 p.m. local time, targeting the houses of a local Islamic State commander and his son in the July 17 district of western Mosul.”
There were reports that 15 ISIL fighters were killed and as many as 50 civilians injured in the attack, which also damaged a local medical centre. Women and children were said to be among the dead and injured.
Iraq News, citing local sources, said “three women and a man from the same family were killed in the bombing, after the collapse of their house, along with the deaths of three other members of the same family, including a child aged ten.”
Among those named killed were Ryan Kavakçi; Abdul Khaliq Ghanem Sabawi, his wife, his aunt and daughter Zainab; and Hossam Hammad and his brothers. NRN also reported that “the sons of Engineer Hazem Al-Sayer, manager of the Irrigation Directorate in Mosul, were killed with their wives and children.”
Local community leader Ethel Nujaifi later criticised the Coalition for bombing Daesh in commercial and residential areas: “Targeting elements of Daash can not justify the bombing of innocent civilians in residential areas.”
In their January 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition 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 incident occured at approximately 3:00 pm local time.
The victims were named as:
Family members (2)
- Abdul Khaliq Ghanem Sabawi Adult male killed
- Zainab Age unknown female Daughter of Abdul Khaliq Ghanem Sabawi killed
- Ryan Kavakçi Age unknown male killed
- Hossam Hammad Age unknown male killed
Summary
Sources (18) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]
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US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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December 21, 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. 2872/CI161 38SLF282263
Original strike reports
The Coalition reports that on December 21st-22nd 2015, “Near Mosul, seven strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL building, 12 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, two ISIL vehicles, five ISIL bunkers, and destroyed seven ISIL assembly areas.”