Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI185

Incident date

February 6, 2016

Location

الرمادي, Ramadi (Al Bosaleh), Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.437441, 43.286666 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

There were reports of two or three civilian homes in Al Bosaleh village east of Ramadi were struck by the Coalition in the morning, killing at least 17 civilians – including up to 13 from the Alibohvd clan.

Yaqen included a reported image (right) of one of the destroyed homes. However, the site also suggested that the Iraq Army may have been responsible for the fatalities.

In its July 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition said it could not determine involvement in the event: “Feb. 6, 2016, near Ramadi, Iraq, via Airwars report: The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.”

Airwars has requested additional clarification.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ramadi (Al Bosaleh) (الرمادي), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.437441, 43.286666. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 21
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

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.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Ramadi, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition has confirmed a number of strikes in the vicinity on February 5th-6th 2016: “Near Ramadi, three strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL recoilless rifle, and an ISIL fuel transporter, six ISIL weapons caches, an ISIL command and control node, an ISIL front end loader, and an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 21
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]