Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI374

Incident date

December 17, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Farouk and other neighbourhoods, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3431411, 43.1257262 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

More than 40 civilians were reported killed or injured due to shelling inside Mosul.

Naynawaalghad TV cited what it said were medical sources in Mosul, who told the outlet that 41 civilians were killed or wounded as a result of artillery fire from an unknown source. The outlet noted that residents were forced to bury victims in a public park, as the cemetery was full.

Yaqein reported that more than 40 civilians were killed or wounded on Saturday night, and blamed the government or Coalition. ISIL-linked al A’Amaq posted a video showing rubble and rescue workers. It included a shot of what is purported to be a bomb fragment left at the scene, on which English lettering can be seen.

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials requested additional information concerning the alleged event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A screenshot of the video released by ISIL-linked Al A'Amaq shows the remnant of a munition with English lettering.
  • A screenshot of the video that reveals the destruction following the shelling in Farouk and other neighbourhoods in Mosul(via Hait al-Khir)
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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 16th-17th, the Coalition reported “Near Mosul, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed six ISIL-held buildings, two fighting positions, two heavy machine guns, and a front-end loader.

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
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]