Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI451

Incident date

February 8, 2017

Location

قصر المطران, Mosul, Qasr al-Mataraan, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that four children, all from the same family, were killed and their parents seriously injured after unspecified airstrikes allegedly targeted their house in the Qasr al-Mataraan or “Bishop Palace” area at the right side of Mosul. Iraqi Spring Media Center spoke of three children killed, while Ajel Al Mosul put the death toll at four.

In what may be a related or separate incident, the Coalition reported in April that a self-assessment had concluded no civilian casualties had occured in a February 4th action at Mosul. According to the report: “Feb. 4, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (3–4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ 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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3297423855
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 2017
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For February 7th-8th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, nine strikes engaged six ISIL tactical unit and two ISIL staging areas; destroyed 12 watercraft, eight cranes, seven engineering equipment pieces, five vehicles, four supply caches, two

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (3–4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]