Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI798

Incident date

July 2, 2017

Location

الموصل القديمة, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman died and others were injured after a suspected Coalition airstrike destroyed a house.

As Associated Press reported: “Iraqi forces have repeatedly requested airstrikes in Mosul, often to kill teams of just two or three IS fighters armed with light weapons. Manhal Munir was sheltering in the basement of his home with his extended family when IS fighters took a position on his roof. They were targeted by an airstrike Sunday morning [July 1st]. The house collapsed. “I just pulled my youngest daughter out with me,” Munir said at a nearby medic station, the toddler on his lap. “My mother was stuck between two large blocks of cement. We tried to free her,” he said, still covered in dust and his eyes red with grief. “After two hours she died.”

Sawef Ateka later published a photograph with the caption “The child (Omar) who lost all his family members in the Old Mosul area and who remains a lonely orphan with no father and mother.” This may relate to strikes on the Old City area on July 2nd.

A senior Coalition official informed Airwars on July 5th that “It is primarily Coalition aircraft conducting AIR strikes in Mosul. It has been a number of weeks since the Iraqis flew there.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Caption: "The picture of the child (Omar) who lost all his family members in the old Mosul area to remain a lonely orphan with no father and mother"
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
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF319233
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For July 1st-July 2nd the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and a sniper team; destroyed 13 fighting positions, eight IEDs, three medium machine guns, and a supply cache; damaged 11 fighting positions; and suppressed four sniper teams and two ISIS tactical units.” It additionally reported that “On July 1, near Mosul, Iraq, one strike destroyed an ISIS-held building and damaged four supply routes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]