Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI771

Incident date

June 18, 2017

Location

القائم, Al Qa'im, Al Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

34.3957715, 40.9943684 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that an unknown airstrike killed eight civilians and injured a further 20 at Al Qaim.

Iraqi Spring Media Centre reported the death of 8 people and 20 additional injuries resulting from an airstrike near a mosque in Al Qaim. Iraqi News Center reported the same figures.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Qa’im (القائم), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.3957715, 40.9943684. 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
    8
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

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 Al Qaim, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU828074
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 2018
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 17th-18th, the Coalition reported: “Near Al Qaim, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 18 ISIS storage tanks, two vehicles and a front-end loader.“

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]