Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI247

Incident date

June 6, 2016

Location

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.3532137, 43.7875674 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A reported air raid by Iraqi or Coalition aircraft on the Julan neighbourhood of Fallujah resulted in the deaths of an entire family.

Najah Jameel Mahmoud Al-Lihibi, his wife and their five children all died in the attack, according to local media. Amis noted that both Iraqi government and Coalition aircraft conducted strikes in the vicinity, making attribution difficult.

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 (7)

Adult male (via Iraqi Spring Media Center) killed
Adult female (via Iraqi Spring Media Center) killed
Child (via Iraqi Spring Media Center) killed
Child (via Iraqi Spring Media Center) killed
Child (via Iraqi Spring Media Center) killed
Child (via Iraqi Spring Media Center) killed
Child (via Iraqi Spring Media Center) killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Fallujah (الفلوجة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.3532137, 43.7875674. 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
    7
  • (5 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

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
    38SLB850920
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • June 6, 2016, in Fallujah, 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. 2957/CI247 38SLB850920

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 5th-6th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Fallujah, four strikes [2 British] struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) factory, two ISIL VBIEDs, an ISIL warehouse, and an ISIL tunnel entrance and denied ISIL access to terrain.”

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
    7
  • (5 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]