US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Civilians in the ruins of Mosul city. (Maranie R. Staab)

Belligerent
US-led Coalition
Country
Iraq
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
873 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

CI231

Incident date

April 20, 2016

Location

الموصل, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34585235, 43.09857692 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Coalition airstrike on a bank in Faisaliah reportedly killed six students and injured a further eight civilians.

According to NINA, “The international Coalition bombed on Thursday [April 21st] the Um Al- Rabiein bank in the Al Faisaliah area in the north of Mosul, which led to the martyrdom of six students who were in the nearby bank and wounding eight others.”

Local blogger Salam Hamdoon claimed the strike took place at 10 am during peak time when the area was crowded with civilians.

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF339240
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • April 20, 2016, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2947/CI231 38SLF339240

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports for April 19th-20th 2016 that “Near Mosul, nine strikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL-used power plant, and four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas, three ISIL supply caches, an ISIL mortar system, and two ISIL vehicles and denied ISIL access to terrain.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI263

Incident date

July 7, 2016

Location

الحويجة, Hawijah, Kirkuk, Iraq

Geolocation

35.3240179, 43.77335 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source claimed that Coalition strikes in the vicinity of Hawijah killed five non-combatants and injured an additional 12 people. A number of homes were reportedly damaged in the incident.

No additional information is presently known.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For July 6th-7th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Al Huwayjah, one strike destroyed an ISIL bunker and an ISIL tunnel.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI295

Incident date

October 17, 2016

Location

حي الزنجيلي, Mosul, Zinjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3502851, 43.1098795 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the first day of a major Iraqi and Coalition assault to recapture Mosul, nine civilians including five members of one family were alleged killed in an airstrike.

Iraq News reported “intensive Coalition raids on the areas of Bab al Jadid and Hadbah, west of Mosul, with reports of civilian casualties.” Accordng to Islam Memo, “Nine civilians were killed, including five members of one family, as a result of aerial bombing on Monday morning which targeted residential areas in downtown Mosul.” It said the dead included “an eighty-year-old woman and her son, his wife and two of their children.”

Elements of this incident were later confused by some reports with a separate Mosul event on October 18th-19th.

Given reported British actions in the area that day, Airwars flagged the incident to the UK’s MoD which said “we can confirm that there was no UK involvement” in the event.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (1–2 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ 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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017

  • 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
Official source

For October 17th-18th 2016, the Coalition reported that ” Near Mosul, four strikes [2 British] engaged three ISIL tactical units and two staging areas; destroyed 10 mortar systems, five artillery systems, four ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, four vehicles, two supply caches, two repeater tower generators, a VBIED facility, and a VBIED; and suppressed four tactical units and three rocket positions.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (1–2 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI327

Incident date

November 7, 2016

Location

المصارف, Mosul, Al Masarif, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3842544, 43.1767845 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a single local source, four civilians were killed in an alleged coalition strike on Al Masarif, Mosul.

Yaqein reported that three children and a male civilian were killed in the northeast Al Masarif neighborhood of Mosul. The attacks severely damaged houses and shops in the neighbourhood.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image of a child, killed followed an alleged airstrike on Al Masarif, Mosul (via Mosul ateka)
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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 30, 2017

  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For November 6th-7th, the Coalition reported “Near Mosul, seven strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units and three staging areas; destroyed 16 vehicles, seven mortar systems, three weapons caches, two ISIL-held buildings, an ISIL headquarters building, and a training facility; damaged two ISIL supply routes; degraded three ISIL tunnels; and suppressed two ISIL tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI394

Incident date

January 5, 2017

Location

حي المثنى, Mosul, Muthanna, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3738889, 43.1718063 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said two named civilians (a father and son) were killed after a missile targeted their house in the left side of Mosul. Mosul Ateka reported that “a missile fell down just beside Haj Dahir which caused his death and that of his son Zakariah.”

Iraqyoon News and Resistance Hadbah also reported Coalition airstrikes in the left part of Mosul, in the neighborhoods of Muthanna, Comrades and Hadbah.

Nineveh Media Center quoted Maj. Gen Najim al-Jubouri (Mosul operations commander), who said that “the international Coalition supported Iraqi forces with Land surface missiles and air cover during the liberation distinctive goals operations in the left side of the Mosul on Friday.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Haj Dahir
Adult male killed
Zakariah Dahir
Adult male Son of Haj Dahir killed

Summary

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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Zakariah Thahir (Facebook)
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 al-Muthanna neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF361267
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 27, 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
Official source

For January 4th-5th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, seven strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units; destroyed five ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, four mortar systems, two weapons caches, a supply cache, a communications tower, a vehicle, a command and control node, and a rocket and unmanned aerial vehicle factory; damaged 27 supply routes; and suppressed two mortar teams.”

Summary

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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI426

Incident date

January 15, 2017

Location

الموصل الجديدة, Mosul, Mosul al-Jadid / New Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3323266, 43.1050515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that 30 civilians were killed and dozens injured in Coalition and governmental airstrikes, as well as artillery and missile shelling, on New Mosul and other neighbourhoods at the right side of Mosul.

A source told Yaqein that “at least three rockets landed in the New Mosul area on the right coast of Mosul” leading to the death of 30 civilians, wounding dozens and destroying many houses.

Correspondences Team also reported that “international Coalition aircraft carried out seven raids, targeting the homes of civilians in the western neighborhoods of the right side of the city of Mosul.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    30
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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]

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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017

  • 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
Official source

For January 14th-15th the Coalition publicly noted: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units; destroyed a vehicle, a mortar, five supply caches, three fighting positions, a rocket propelled grenade launcher, two VBIED facilities, an ISILheld building, a land bridge, a VBIED; damaged 21 supply routes; disabled an ISIL artillery system; and suppressed an artillery crew.”

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
    30
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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]

Incident Code

CI463

Incident date

February 17, 2017

Location

مدينة الطب, Mosul, Medical City Hospital, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3570248, 43.116703 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several sources claimed that civilians died in a Coalition airstrike on a medical complex in western Mosul. While Iraqi Spring and Raedlay spoke of 18 dead and 47 wounded, News of Iraq reported the death of a child in a video.

The Coalition confirmed to have carried out the strike, but did not state any civilian casualties. It stated in a press release issued on February 18th:

“With the approval of the government of Iraq, Coalition forces struck an ISIS command and control headquarters and propaganda facility in Western Mosul on Feb. 17. The five-story Bab Sinjar administration facility was located in the Al Jumhuri medical community complex. ISIS continues to ignore the Law of Armed Conflict and uses protected sites such as hospitals, schools, and mosques to try and shield themselves from Coalition airstrikes.

In this instance, the Coalition was able to determine through intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance efforts that ISIS did not use the building for any medical purposes and that civilians were no longer accessing the site. The intelligence showed that its sole function was as a military command and control facility for ISIS to oversee its operations against the people of Iraq.

Coalition forces comply with the Law of Armed Conflict, work diligently to be precise in our airstrikes, and take all feasible precautions during the planning and execution of air strikes to reduce the risk of harm to civilians. The air strikes conducted against legitimate ISIS military targets are just one of the ways the Coalition continues to work by, with, and through its Iraqi partners to defeat ISIS in Iraq.”

However Iraqi Spring Media Centre and Raedlay (Facebook) later reported “the killing of 18 civilians and wounding 47 others, including women and children, after coalition airstrikes on Medicine # city of Mosul in the right side of the city.” The source for the claim appeared to be so-called Islamic State.

Alrafidain Channel posted a video (GRAPHIC) showing the aftermath of the strike. News of Iraq posted the same video, saying: “watch a child dying from the effects of the bombing of the international Coalition on the Medical City Hospital in the right side of the city of Mosul”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    47
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Islamic State claims 18 civilians ded and 47 are injured in a confirmed Coalition strike on a hospital complex, February 17th 2017
  • Video showing the afterath of the alleged attack

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Confirmed event [see above]

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    47
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI561

Incident date

March 20, 2017

Location

النبي جرجيس, Mosul, Nabi Jarjis, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.342256, 43.126231 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family of eleven or seventeen members was reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Nabi Jarjis neighbourhood. While most sources did not specify who carried out the raids, Yaqein news said it was the Coalition.

“The US-led coalition forces on Monday bombed houses on the western side of the city of Mosul, the center of Nineveh province, killing 17 civilians in the continued brutal aggression by the forces on Mosul and its people.

A press source said in a statement that “the coalition forces targeted the bombing of civilian housing in the area of Nabi Jarjis west of the city of Mosul.”

“At least 17 civilians were killed and dozens wounded,” the source said.

The source pointed out that “the number of dead is likely to rise sharply in light of the presence of a number of bodies under the rubble, which is difficult to limit because of the intensity of the bombing and its continuation.”

Iraq News center spoke of indiscriminate shelling on the neighbourhood and said 11 of the family were killed.

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “In the morning of 20 March, an airstrike reportedly targeted ISIL fighters in the neighbourhood of Nabi Jarjees in western Mosul. The airstrike killed 11 civilians—all members of one family, including two women and three children—and wounded five others, including one child. A woman was also reported missing.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 17
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ 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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Nabi Jarjis, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF316238
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 2018

  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 19th-20th the Coalition stated: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and four ISIS sniper teams; destroyed 17 fighting positions, six heavy machine guns, four vehicles, three rocket-propelled grenade systems, a mortar system, a VBIED factory, an artillery system, and a roadblock; damaged nine supply routes; and suppressed six ISIS mortar teams, five ISIS tactical units, and an ISIS anti-air artillery team.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 17
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]