Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI236

Incident date

May 5, 2016

Location

تل عفر, Tall Afar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.375659, 42.451536 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Many local sources claimed that Coalition aircraft struck civilian homes in a nighttime attack on Tal Afar city west of Mosul, resulting in 17 deaths including 12 children and 3 women.

The Coalition has confirmed airstrikes in the city.

Later local source named one of the child victims.

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:

Child male (via @Afar.tribes.Champions) killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (12 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Rescuers search for survivors of a lethal alleged Coalition strike at Tal Afar, May 5th 2016 (via NRN News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows the children bodies on the floor that killed in an alleged coalition strike at Tal Afar, May 5th 2016 (via NRN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a little boy who was killed by an alleged coalition strike at Tal Afar, May 5th 2016 (via NRN)
  • An image shows an injured little girl who survived from an alleged coalition strike at Tal Afar, May 5th 2016 (via NRN)
  • An image shows an injured child who survived from an alleged coalition strike at Tal Afar, May 5th 2016 (via NRN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows the children bodies on the floor that killed in an alleged coalition strike at Tal Afar, May 5th 2016 (via NRN)
  • A picture of the victim named (Mohand) who killed in an alleged coalition strike at Tal Afar, May 5th 2016 (via @Afar.tribes.Champions)
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
    38SKF713286
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • May 5, 2016 in Tall Afar, 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. 2948/CI236 38SKF713286

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition reports for May 4th-5th 2016 that “Near Tal Afar, one strike struck an ISIL weapons facility.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (12 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]