Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI227

Incident date

April 17, 2016

Location

حلبسة, Halabisa, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.329165, 43.718515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources claimed that Coalition aircraft struck homes in an afternoon attack on Halabsa village west of Fallujah, killing six civilians and injuring another 12 or more, “most of them children and women.”

News Fallujah pictured a young survivor of the event, noting: “Yousif Mushtak Talib Al Halbusi : His mother was killed and his father( Mushtak Talib) and sister( Mariam) were injured today afternoon by the bombing.”

News of Iraq only reported ‘heavy shelling’ on the village, and did not attribute responsibility for the civilian deaths. And Yaqen – which placed the death toll higher at eight – also blamed the attack on unidentified aircraft, with its reporter noting that “the bombing targeted the homes of civilians in different parts of the city of Fallujah which also left material damage.

Iraqi Spring instead blamed Iraq militarily for the deaths of three civilians “in [the] Zoyya area west of Fallujah.”

Iraqi Revolution reported that a female child also died the following day of injuries sustained in the event (see picture).

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, 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 (3)

Child female (via News Fallujah now) injured
Adult male (via News Fallujah now) killed
Adult female (via News Fallujah now) killed

The victims were named as:

Child female (via Iraqi revolution) killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 9
  • (1 child2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–18
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    a photo of Aisha Ali Mohammed, who had died following an alleged Coalition strike on Halabsa village west of Fallujah, April 19th 2016 (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • An image of the injured child (Yousif Mushtak Talib Al Halbusi) following an alleged Coalition strike on April 19th 2016. The source also said that his parents were killed and the sister (Mariam) was injured (via News Fallujah Now)

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
    38SLB807885
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • April 17, 2016, in Halabisa, 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. 2945/CI227 38SLB807885

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 17th-18th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Fallujah, 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
    4 – 9
  • (1 child2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–18
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (9) [ collapse]