Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI581

Incident date

March 26, 2017

Location

الموصل: الزنجيلي, Mosul, Al-Zinjili, Al Batool Hospital, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.356667, 43.115 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local residents and press sources said that at least 15 civilians were killed and many more injured, mostly children and elderly people, by alleged Coalition airstrikes near Al Batool hospital in Zanjili.

Al Amaq [ISIL press agency] posted a video of the strikes on YouTube. Free journalist (Facebook) posted six graphic photos of several reported victims of the raids on Al-Batool hospital. It blamed the US.

Other reports placed the death toll at 85 with 215, though this referred to events in a number of neighbourhoods over two days.

In its July 2017 casualty report the Coalition appeared to reject claims that it had harmed civilians: “March 26, 2017, near Mosul, via self-report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.”

Coordinates for the strike placed it at a Pepsi factory about 300m from the al Batool hospital. However some confusion remains as there was a second alleged event at al Zanjili that day (see CI578).

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “In the morning of 27 March, an airstrike hit a warehouse in the al-Batoul Hospital in the ISIL-controlled neighbourhood of al-Zanjilly of western Mosul, reportedly killing three civilians and wounding five others, including a woman.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 85
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–215
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of alleged strikes on Al-Batool hospital in West-Mosul (via Free journalist Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of alleged strikes on Al-Batool hospital in West-Mosul (via Free journalist Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another victim of alleged strikes on Al-Batool hospital in West-Mosul (via Free journalist Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another victim of alleged strikes on Al-Batool hospital in West-Mosul (via Free journalist Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another victim of alleged strikes on Al-Batool hospital in West-Mosul (via Free journalist 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
    Other
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3030825041
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 2, 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 March 26th-27th the Coalition stated: “Near Mosul, seven strikes, engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed six tunnels, three fighting positions, three vehicles, two mortar systems, a weapons storage facility, a front-end loader, a supply cache, and a heavy machine gun; damaged 17 supply routes; and suppressed six ISIS mortar teams and three ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 85
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–215
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]