Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI405

Incident date

January 8, 2017

Location

حي السكر, Mosul, Sukkar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3910949, 43.1676006 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local reports indicated that shelling struck civilian homes in Sukkar, Talla and Mufthana neighborhoods in eastern Mosul, “resulting in the burying of dozens of civilians under the rubble,” according to an account in a report by Iraqi Spring Media Center.

Ajel el Mosul later released a video it said related to the incident, claiming that 17 civilians had died.

Among those reported killed was the Imam of Ansar mosque, Sheikh Jawad, who was said to have been killed by a mortar in Sukar neighbourhood, northeast of Mosul. Although most sources say the mortar fell on his house, one said he was killed in his mosque.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Sheikh Jawad
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Sheikh Jawad Imam (via Mosul Ateka Facebook)
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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3558228855
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 2017
  • 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For January 7th-8th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed five mortars, two supply caches, four fighting positions, a command and control node, a weapons cache, and a VBIED factory; suppressed three mortar teams; damaged 14 supply routes; and disabled a bridge.”

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]