Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Eleven civilians were reported killed and up to 80 injured when Coalition aircraft allegedly struck the vicinity of the Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque in the Wadi Hajar area of Mosul.
Islamic State later issued a propaganda video which included eyewitness reports. One noted: After we heard the bombing of Khalid Bin Al Waleed we came to rescue the people and injuries but they [were] bombing us for the second time.
Several outlets, including Arabic News, Prevision and Wesal TV reported 11 dead and 80 wounded, and Yaqein blamed the Coalition for attacks on that day in the vicinity of Mosul.
An adult man was named by Niniva Al Hadbah Mother of Two Springs Facebook as one of the victims. Additionally, a man was killed and reported by family members at nearby Quds neighbourhood.
In its February 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition said the incident was under assessment. On March 4th it stated: Dec. 30, 2016, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: After a review of available information and/or strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in the strikes conducted in this area on that day.
However, Airwars still assesses this to be a likely incident based on available ground reports.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (13) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]
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A picture of Ibrahim Muhammad Najm, killed following a coalition airstrike on Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque in the Wadi Hajar area of Mosul (via 'Niniva AlHadbah mother of two springs' Facebook page)
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A screenshot from video shows the destruction following an alleged coalition airstrike on Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque in the Wadi Hajar area of Mosul (via Hey Wadi Hajar Mosul)
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information and/or strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in the strikes conducted in this area on that day.
Original strike reports
For December 29th-30th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul four strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed 11 ISIL-held buildings, five supply caches, three tactical vehicles, two mortar systems, two fighting positions, two VBIEDs, a tunnel, an observation post, a research lab, a command and control node, an up-armored VBIED, two barges, and two artillery pieces; suppressed five mortar teams; and damaged 20 supply routes and two repeater towers.”