Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI292

Incident date

October 2, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.35778, 43.09926 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 1m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported the deaths of up to 23 civilians – including 17 children and 1 woman – following an alleged Coalition airstrike on Mosul’s Najjar neighbourhood. Officials later confirmed the deaths of 10 civilians in the event.

Iraqi Spring reported at the time that The coalition air force has targeted a home in which displaced families live in Najjar neighbourhood in Mosul resulted in 19 deaths including 17 children and women.

Iraq Now featured a video from the ISIS-controlled agency Al A’maq News, which showed significant destruction and the removal of the bodies of a number of children. As Al Jazeera noted, The [Al A’Amaq] agency aired footage of havoc in a number of buildings and said a US air strike had targeted a house inhabited by displaced people in Al-Najjar neighbourhood of Mosul, which led to widespread destruction at home and the killing or injury of civilians. For its part, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense on Sunday announced Sunday evening that international coalition aircraft had destroyed an IED laboratory belonging to ISIL in Mosul.

The reported death toll was later raised to 23 according to Al Khaleej and others. Al Araby also cited a Mosul doctor as saying that 23 civilians arrived at the hospital between the ninth and the eleventh hour, as a result of the bombing of a group of houses in an upscale neighbourhood in the centre of Mosul. Local mosques used their loudspeakers to urge people to donate blood.

Given reported British actions in the area that day, Airwars flagged the incident to the UK’s MoD which said we can confirm that there was no UK involvement in the event.

On September 29th 2017 the Coalition confirmed responsibility for the event, noting that “2. Oct. 2, 2016, near Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report: During a strike against an ISIS headquarters structure, it was assessed that 10 civilians were unintentionally killed.” Officials gave the coordinates of the incident as 36°21’28.0″N 43°05’57.4″E.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 23
  • (17 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A picture shows the destruction followed an alleged coalition airstrike on Mosul’s Najjar neighbourhood (via Al Rafidain)
  • Another image shows the destruction followed an alleged coalition airstrike on Mosul’s Najjar neighbourhood (via al-Araby)

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest neighbourhood/area at 36.3617898, 43.1118965.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    10
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF2945925310
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • During a strike against an ISIS headquarters structure, it was assessed that 10 civilians were unintentionally killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 2nd-3rd 2016, the Coalition reports: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL headquarters buildings and a front-end loader.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 23
  • (17 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]