Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI773

Incident date

June 19, 2017

Location

الشفاء, Mosul, Al-Shafaa, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3534304, 43.1174326 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 44 civilians, including a young child and his mother, were reported trapped under the rubble following the destruction of houses at al Shifa during an assault on the area.

According to Sawefa Ateka, “There is a house in Al-Shifa neighborhood, the house of Saadallah Abu Thaerwhich is near the Al-Naqib Mosque, and the families are calling out for assistance to escape from under the rubble.”

Urgent Mosul News reported 40 civilians were trapped under the rubble.

@adhamiyahnews reported that a total of 44 people were buried.

The fate of the families is not presently known.

Sawlf Ateka (local Facebook page) reported on June 25th that a two-year old boy called Ahmed Sahib and his mother “were killed in their house in Shifa neighborhood and they were still under the rubble after 6 days.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Sahib
2 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40–44
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Images of Ahmed Sahib
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 Shifa neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF308246
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 30, 2018
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 18th-19th: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed 30 fighting positions, five medium machine guns, three mortar systems, two supply caches, and a rocket-propelled grenade system; damaged six ISIS supply routes and a tunnel; and suppressed two ISIS tactical units.” It was additionally reported that “On June 18, near Mosul, Iraq, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed 30 vehicles, two fighting positions, a rocket-propelled grenade system, and a medium machine gun; and damaged 18 ISIS supply routes.”

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40–44
  • 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]