Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI298

Incident date

October 18, 2016

Location

لقوسيات والعربي, Mosul, Al-Qaysiyat and Al-Arabi, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.4368746, 43.1029299 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to nine civilians, including a woman and one or more children, were killed in overnight bombing in Mosul according to local reports.

Al Rafidain Network for Human Rights reported a bombing “killed or wounded innocent civilians, including women and children.” Al Hathalyoum placed the death toll at eight: A security source and local residents from inside Mosul said international coalition forces targeted in an airstrike Alqosjat and the Arab region, in the north of Mosul – killing at least eight civilians, including a woman and two children.

Iraqi Spring Meda Centre put the death toll at nine, and said the dead woman’s husband was also injured in the attack on the Shifa’ and Asatetha neighbourhoods.

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.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

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
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 17th 2016 the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units and two staging areas; destroyed 10 mortar systems, five artillery systems, four ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, four vehicles, two supply caches, two repeater tower generators, a VBIED facility, and a VBIED; and suppressed four tactical units and three rocket positions.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]