Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI188

Incident date

February 13, 2016

Location

المحلبية, Mahalabiya, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.26632, 42.70744 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three children reportedly died in an alleged Coalition strike on the village of Mahalabiya, to the west of Mosul.

An anonymous source cited by Face Iraq complained that there was “constant indiscriminate shelling on the villages and areas of the city of Mosul, under the pretext of the presence of criminal elements from Daesh.”

In their February 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 local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mahalabiya (المحلبية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.26632, 42.70744. 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
    3
  • (3 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SKF940159
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020
  • Feb. 13, 2016, in Mahalabiya, 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. 2896/CI188 38SKF940159

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For February 12th-13th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Mosul, five strikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed 11 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL excavator, and an ISIL vehicle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]