Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI240

Incident date

May 23, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, East, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.368483, 43.184281 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A reported Coalition strike on the home of an ISIL fighter in Mosul also allegedly killed his wife and children, according to local reports.

NRN News, citing a source in the east of the occupied city, reported: “The Daesh fighter was standing at the door of his home when the first missile struck him and dismembered him. A second more powerful missile then fell on the house, killing all members of his family of five people, including women and children.

News of Iraq published a photograph of what it said was the destroyed building (below).

Responding to a request for clarification about possible involvement given declared UK strikes near Mosul that day, the MoD told Airwars that “after extensive research, we can confirm that there was no UK involvement” in the alleged event.

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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2–4 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A picture shows a destroyed house following an alleged coalition strike targetting a Daesh fighter in Mosul May 23rd, and the strike also led the killing five members of the family including women and children (via News of Iraq)

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
    38SLF371263
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • May 23, 2016, in Mosul, 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. 2954/CI240 38SLF371263

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 22nd-23rd 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Mosul, five strikes struck an ISIL communications control center and destroyed two ISIL VBIEDs, two ISIL mortar systems, and two ISIL supply caches and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2–4 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]