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.
Summary
Sources (5) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
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Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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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
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.”