Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI833

Incident date

August 21, 2017

Location

تلعفر, Tal Afar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.375659, 42.451536 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that more than 30 civilians were killed in an aerial bombardment on Tal Afar, west of Mosul, Nineveh.

A single source, Omara Al Halbusi, blamed the US-led Coalition for the attack, which he claimed destroyed houses and the civilians inside.

The other sources tracked by Airwars did not specify any particular faction as the culprit, referring to shelling, aerial bombardment and artillery.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Tal Afar (تلعفر), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.375659, 42.451536. 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
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A picture shows the artillery of the US army located at the base of Kharez, Zamar area northwest of Mosul; bombed the villages of Tal Afar (via Omar Alhlboci)

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 Tal Afer, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 20th-21st the Coalition reported “Near Tal Afar, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed five rocket-propelled grenade systems, four tunnel entrances, four fighting positions, four VBIEDs, two tactical vehicles, two weapons caches, two supply caches, a command and control node, a medium machine gun, and an anti-tank weapon; damaged five supply routes; and suppressed 32 mortar systems.” It additionally reported that “On Aug. 20, near Tal Afar, Iraq, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed seven fighting positions, three staging areas, two IEDs, two pieces of ISIS oil equipment, a rocket-propelled grenade system, and a vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.” And that “On Aug. 20, near Tal Afar, Iraq, one strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]