Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI480

Incident date

February 24, 2017

Location

القائم, Al Qa'im, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

34.3957715, 40.9943684 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local and press sources claimed that nine civilians were killed and more than twenty wounded in an airstrike conducted by planes of the US-led Coalition on Al Qa’im City.

According to Yaqein “a news source said that Coalition forces launched intensive raids on the city of Qaim, western Anbar province, killing nine civilians. The source added that the raids resulted in the injury of more than 22 civilians were injured.”

However in its April assessment the Coalition denied involvement: “Feb. 24, 2017, near Al-Qa’im, 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.

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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • Civilians reported injured
    22–35
  • 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 (6) [ 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
    Other
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al-Qa’im, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 1, 2017
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For February 23rd-24th the Coalition did not publicly report strikes near Al Qa’im.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • Civilians reported injured
    22–35
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]