Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI607

Incident date

April 4, 2017

Location

تل عفر, Tall Afar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.375659, 42.451536 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that twenty civilians were killed and six injured, among them many children, at Tal Afar west of Mosul. All claimed that the US or the Coalition was responsible, although Iraq Air Force aircraft had also struck the town.

Iraqi Spring Media Center posted several graphic photos, picturing the aftermath of the strikes and body parts, including that of a young child.

The area had seen heavy fighting between Iraqi security forces and ISIL, and the Coalition confirmed a strike in the vicinity on the day in question.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tall Afar (تل عفر), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.375659, 42.451536. 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
    20
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images of the aftermath of the incident
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 evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near the near Tal Afar, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SKF710290
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 2018
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 3rd-4th the Coalition publicly reported no strikes at Tal Afar though did cite other attacks elsewhere in Nineveh: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and an ISIS machine gun team; destroyed five fighting positions, two VBIED factories, a weapons facility, and an anti-air artillery system; damaged three supply routes and three fighting positions; and suppressed four ISIS mortar teams, two ISIS tactical units, and an ISIS artillery team.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]