Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI376

Incident date

December 25, 2016

Location

البعاج, Al Baaj, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.0426, 41.71632 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media and the area’s MP reported that 20 civilians were killed and 55 injured after unknown aircraft targeted Al Baaj city west of Mosul.

According to Zahid Kotuna, the elected MP for the area, an unknown warplane carried out a fierce air strike on the densely populated civilian town of Baaj 140 km west of Mosul. The bombing caused the deaths of 20 civilians, including children, and the wounding of about 55 others.

Iraqi Spring said that More than 20 civilians were killed and dozens injured as an aerial shelling targeted Sina’a Marketplace in Ba’aj district west of Mosul.

In its February 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition stated that it was not responsible for the event: (7.) Dec. 25, 2016, near al-Ba’aj, Iraq, via media report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20
  • Civilians reported injured
    55
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ 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 al-Ba’aj, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2017
  • No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 24th-25th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Mosul, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed four buildings, four heavy machine guns, three tactical vehicles, and three VBIEDs; and suppressed nine mortar teams and two ISIL tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20
  • Civilians reported injured
    55
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]