Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI202

Incident date

March 18, 2016

Location

الحويجة, Hawijah, Kirkuk, Iraq

Geolocation

35.3240179, 43.77335 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 41 civilians were allegedly killed and 53 injured in an airstrike on Hawijah which was said to have struck the city’s main market and hospital.

The Daesh-linked Al A’amaq Agency initially reported the “Killing of four [civilians] and the wounding of 10 – most of them women and children – in an air strike targeting a market in the town.” Subsequent reports said the town’s main hospital was also targeted – and was “completely destroyed” according to one source. Mass casualties were claimed.

Some local sources claim the event was an act of ‘revenge’ following the earlier shooting down of an Iraqi military aircraft. A Daesh propaganda video titled ‘Iraqi Air Strikes on Hospital’ showed extensive destruction and casualties.

Only after the reported strike on the hospital did local media begin blaming the Coalition, insisting there were as many as 100 civilian dead and injured. One source – Dijlah TV – claimed the event was a jont Iraqi-Coalition raid which had mistakenly bombed the hospital.

In its July 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition denied involvement in the incident: “Mar. 18, 2016, near Hawijah, Iraq, via Airwars report: 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.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    41
  • Civilians reported injured
    53
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Hawijah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • 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

US-led Coalition

For March 18th-19th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Al Huwayja, one strike destroyed an ISIL anti-air artillery piece.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    41
  • Civilians reported injured
    53
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]