Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Some local media reported that two families consisting of 14 civilians were killed in an unattributed airstrike on Sofiya in Ramadi. While Yaqen also reported that 14 civilians had died, it blamed the deaths on Iraq Army artillery.
In its July 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition denied responsibility for the event, saying that it conducted no strikes nearby that day: “Jan. 8, 2016, near Ramadi, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.”
Given that the Coalition has confirmed strikes on Ramadi that day, we have requested additional information.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (4) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.
The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.
Original strike reports
The Coalition noted significant activity in the vicinity for January 8th-9th 2016: “Near Ramadi, six strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 21 ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL sniper positions, two ISIL recoilless rifles, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility, two ISIL weapon caches, and denied ISIL access to terrain.”