Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI378

Incident date

December 27, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34585235, 43.09857692 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 20 civilians were reported killed in an alleged Coalition strikes on Mosul according to local sources.

Yaqein reported that international alliance air raids targeted the Al Faisaliah, Alqosjat and Aldndan areas in Mosul, killing 20 civilians and wounding four others. Iraqi Spring Media centre placed the death toll at 19.

One victim was named by his brother as an adult civilian.

Amsi.net also reported a total of 24 casualties – 20 deaths and 4 injured.

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, officials said the event was already under review by the Coalition.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male via the victim brother Mohammad AL-hashem killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Mosul (الموصل‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.34585235, 43.09857692. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 20
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A picture of Ziad al Hashem, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Mosul (via the victim's brother Mohammad AL-hashem)
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 evidence of civilian harm
  • 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 and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 26th-27th 2016, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed four VBIEDS, two VBIED factories, a mortar, an ISIL-held building, a tactical vehicle, and a front-end loader; damaged an ISIL-held building, a tunnel, and eight ISIL supply routes; disabled a bridge; and suppressed a mortar and ISIL tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 20
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]