Airwars assessment
Local sources claimed that Coalition aircraft targeted a civilian car in Hit and killed the driver, who was said to have no links to so-called Islamic State.
According to News of Iraq, the aircraft had been targeting a Daesh VBIED “driven by a suicide bomber” but that the attack also led to the destruction of another car and the killing of a civilian driver with no links to Daesh.
Its source added: “There is presently a heavy engagement by international aircraft above Hit, with the aim of bombing areas under the control of Daesh in preparation for an attack by government forces on the city centre.”
In its monthly casualty report for July 2017, the Coalition noted two allegations for Hit, both of which is dated to March 31st 2016. It stated that “The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (2) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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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The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.
Original strike reports
For March 30th-31st 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Hit, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL safe house and destroyed two ISIL supply caches, 15 ISIL rockets, three ISIL bunkers, and an ISIL tunnel.”