Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI219

Incident date

April 6, 2016

Location

حاج علي, Haj Ali, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.734251, 43.3181477 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources claimed “dozens of civilians” including children and women were killed or injured after Coalition or Iraq government jets targeted Haj Ali village in Qayyarah south of Mosul.

While most social media reports blamed the Iraqi military for the event, others blamed the Coalition or both. Yaqen, for example, said it was a joint ground and air assault: “Intense Coalition and Iraq government airstrikes bombed Haj Ali, a village near Qayyarah south of Mosul, along with government shelling by heavy artillery and rocket attacks. This resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.”

Some linked the casualties to military impatience at the slow rate of the campaign to liberate Mosul.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Haj Ali (حاج علي), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.734251, 43.3181477. 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
    30
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition reports for April 5th-6th 2016 that “Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    30
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]