Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI664

Incident date

April 24, 2017

Location

الموصل: غرب/الجانب الأيمن, Mosul, West / Right side, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.336843, 43.117979 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, 22 civilians died and 48 were injured in air raids on several neighbourhoods in West Mosul.

While Al Jazeera (referring to an ISIL source) and a tweet by @aisha_iq95 said the Coalition was responsible, other sources spoke both of Coalition and Iraqi forces aircraft carrying out the airstrikes.

The incident was first reported on April 24, 2017 at 8:37 pm by Correspondences Team.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    22
  • Civilians reported injured
    48
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Tweet blaming the Coalition for "22 martyrs and 48 wounded"

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention “several neighbourhoods” in West Mosul, and do not identify neighbourhoods. The generic coordinates for West Mosul ( الموصل: غرب/الجانب الأیمن ) are 36.336843, 43.117979

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 information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 23rd-24th: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed 11 fighting positions, eight heavy machine guns, four rocket-propelled grenade systems, two ISIS-held buildings, one ISIS-held bridge, and a VBIED; damaged 14 ISIS supply routes and a fighting position; and suppressed four rocket teams, three mortar teams, and an ISIS tactical unit.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    22
  • Civilians reported injured
    48
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]