Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CI290a

Location

الشوره, Shora, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.99539, 43.2216
Accuracy: Within 100m (via Coalition)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

Three civilians were killed and another injured when Shora primary school, which had been taken over by ISIS to make bombs, was hit by an airstrike – an investigation by the New York Times Magazine found.

According to a field investigation conducted by reporters Azmah Khan and Anand Gopal for the New York Times, “Shora Primary School, which had been taken over by ISIS and used to make bombs, was hit by an airstrike between 9/20/2016 and 9/23/2016, and killed three civilians who had been walking nearby:

“Hamfeesh Masour Saleh, a retired soldier who had been near the school after praying nearby; Shida Ahmed Hasan, who was coming back from the Shora medical center, because her son needed medicine; and Shida Ahmed Hasan’s two-year-old son, who was with her. Another woman who had been walking with them survived.”

In June 2019 the Coalition accepted full responsibility for this incident, noting: “Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike on a Daesh weapons storage facility. Regrettably, three civilians were unintentionally killed and one unintentionally wounded due to their proximity to the strike.”

The Coalition later provided Airwars with the location for this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

Victims

Individuals

Adult male Retired soldier who had been near the school after praying nearby killed
Adult female Was coming back from the Shora medical center, because her son needed medicine killed
2 years old male killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Declared strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Confirmed
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
3
1 Child, 1 Woman, 1 Man
Civilians reported injured
1
1 Woman

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Known belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Credible / Substantiated
Given reason for civilian harm
Other
Civilian deaths conceded
3
Civilian injuries conceded
1
Stated location
near Qayyarah, Iraq
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
38SLE397849
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed two vehicles and a weapons cache.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2019-06-27
Original Source
Sept. 22, 2016, near Qayyarah, Iraq, via media-report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike on a Daesh weapons storage facility. Regrettably, three civilians were unintentionally killed and one unintentionally wounded due to their proximity to the strike.