Airwars assessment
One civilian male was killed in Mosul’s Hadba neighbourhood by Coalition strikes, according to local reports.
Al Rafidain Network for Human Rights reported that a young man named Mustafa Bushar al Qaddu was killed inside his home due to Coalition strikes.
Iraaq 18 said the civilian casualties occured after the Coalition destroyed a vehicle-borne IED: “A member of the Nineveh provincial council, Hossam El Din al-Saffar, said the international coalition aircraft targeted a car bomb which was on its way to elements of the Nineveh [Iraq] army in the east of the city, which led to the fall of martyrs and wounded among civilians. Al-Saffar said in a press statement that … the explosion led to the martyrdom and wounding of a number of civilians who were fleeing the clashes.”
A marty’s page to Mr Al Quddu was later posted by relatives in Ireland, which proclaimed: “I declare the news of the martyrdom of Mustafa Bashar Al Qaddu who was the victim of a missile bombing which targeted their home today noon in Hadba neighbourhood Oct.20.2016 in our Beloved Mosul before its liberation – which he will now never be able to witness.”
A video posted by blogger Akram Almashaddani claimed to show significant destruction from Coalition strkes that day on the city.
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. However given that RAF strikes were reported in northand north east Mosul, Airwars has requested further clarification.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
- Mustafa Bushar al Qaddu Adult male killed
Summary
Sources (4) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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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
For October 19th-20th the Coalition reported that “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and two staging areas; destroyed four vehicles, four ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, three containers, two mortar systems, a tunnel entrance, a bunker, an artillery system, a front end loader, a weapons cache, a heavy machine gun, and a tanker trailer; damaged a VBIED; and suppressed three mortar positions and a fighting position.”