Incident Code

CI396

Location

القائم, Al Qa'im, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

34.3957715, 40.9943684
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: I331)

Up to eighteen people were killed and 24 injured – mostly women and children – in government and Coalition airstrikes, in Al Qaim, Anbar province.

Yaqein reported the incident and added – quoting local sources – that “the raids focused on the areas of Karabila and Saada east of the city, and resulted in the complete destruction of four houses and damaged the homes and property of civilians.” Yaqein furthermore said that “it is noteworthy that the cities of Anbar province are exposed daily to a retaliatory bombing by government and international [forces] causing the killing of many innocent civilians and the destruction of their homes.”

News of Iraq (Facebook) also noted the incident and blamed the Coalition for the raids. Euphrates Post put the death toll at 18, but did not say who was responsible. Iraqi Spring Media Center said that 17 people were killed, including two children and 3 women (in a first report mentioned as “injured”), and 24 others were wounded, mostly women and children.

Raedlay posted a video of the effects, which was later deleted, of what was reported as “US bombing on the town of Karabilah”.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
17
2 Children, 2 Women
Civilians reported injured
24

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Qa’im (القائم), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.3957715, 40.9943684. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
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 Qaim, Iraq
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For January 5th-6th, the Coalition noted: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed three ISIL-held buildings, three supply caches, two mortar systems, a fighting position, and a VBIED; damaged 24 supply routes; and suppressed two mortar teams.”
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2017-11-30
Original Source
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.
Iraq Government Forces Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Iraq Government Forces
Iraq Government Forces position on incident
Not yet assessed