Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI212

Incident date

March 31, 2016

Location

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.352084, 43.783178 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources claimed Coalition aircraft struck the Haswa and Jumeila neighbourhoods in Fallujah at around 9.30pm, hitting civilian homes and causing the deaths of five civilians including two children, and the wounding of seven more civilians.

Al Sharqiya published the most detailed report, saying that Coalition aircraft strikes “resulted in the deaths of five people, all of them women and children, and the wounding of seven others, in addition to inflicting massive destruction on a number of houses.”

Multiple sources named some victims. And also, Iraqi Revolution named two of the wounded children.

However, the source News Fallujah Now reported that “explosive barrels” had been dropped on Fallujah, killing two children – meaning that the regime may have been responsible.

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.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Fatima Abed Jassim Al Essawi
Adult female killed
Salah Abbas Jassim al-Issawi
Adult male killed

Family members (3)

Child female (via Fayad Fayad blog) killed
Child male (via Fayad Fayad blog) killed
Child female (via Fayad Fayad blog) killed

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Salah Abbas
Child male (Iraqi Revolution) injured
Osama Salah al-Shami
Child male (Iraqi Revolution) injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • An image of the wife of Ghazi Khalaf al-Ali al-Jumaili, reported killed along with her two children in an alleged Coalition strike on Fallujah March 31st (via Fayad Fayad blog) the wife.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows the injured child followed the alleged Coalition strike on Fallujah March 31st (via Fayad Fayad blog).
  • An image shows the child (Ahmed Ghazi Khalaf Ali Al Jumeily) who was killed following the alleged Coalition strike on Fallujah March 31st (via Fayad Fayad blog).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows the injured child followed the alleged Coalition strike on Fallujah March 31st (via Fayad Fayad blog).
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
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLB867909
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020
  • March 31, 2016, in Fallujah, 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. 2918/CI212 38SLB867909

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For March 31st-April 1st 2016, the Coalition has publicly declared no airstrikes in the vicinity of Fallujah.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]