Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI615

Incident date

April 6, 2017

Location

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

Geolocation

36.350932, 43.111449 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that a mother and her two children were killed in an airstrike on her house in Zanjili neighbourhood, in West Mosul. Mosul Eye blamed the Coalition for the strike. Other sources did not report who was responsible.

See News (Facebook) put the death toll at 13, possibly also referring to other incidents in North Mosul. Journalists Around the World reported that at least 18 died in airstrikes and artillery shelling in West Mosul neighbourhoods that day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 18
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–60
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The location of an airstrike that allegedly killed a mother and her two children (via Mosul Eye 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 5th-6th: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed five mortar systems, three VBIED factories, three ISIS-held buildings, two anti-air artillery systems, two supply caches, a tactical vehicle, a vehicle, and a weapons facility; damaged nine supply routes, and suppressed six ISIS mortar teams.”

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 18
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–60
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]