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

Incident Code

CI579

Incident date

March 26, 2017

Location

الطوافة, Mosul, Tawafa, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.335054, 43.120978 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that that dozens of civilians were killed or injured, including 19 members from one family, in Tawafa area west of Mosul by airstrikes.

Local sources told Iraqyoon that “the aircraft bombed sites in the neighborhood of the Tawafa on the right side, which led to the deaths of dozens of civilians, including a whole family of 19 people, the family of Hassan Younis Arzu al-Jarjari.”

Press sources told Yaqein that “the aircraft of the International Alliance launched intensive raids on the area of Tawafa west of the city of Mosul.” The source added that “the bombing of international coalition aircraft killed at least 20 civilians.”

The source pointed out that “the shelling also wounded dozens of civilians, who suffer from severe shortages of medicine and food.” Iraqi Spring Media Center also said the Coalition was responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 24
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (4) [ 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

For March 25th-26th the Coalition publicly noted: ” Near Mosul, five strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed seven fighting positions, four mortar positions, two tactical vehicles, a supply cache, and a sniper weapon system; damaged 11 supply routes and a fighting position; and suppressed two ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 24
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI612

Incident date

April 5, 2017

Location

معيوف, Mayouf, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.43268, 42.861649 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that more than forty people were killed in unspecified airstrikes on the village of Mayouf, north west of Mosul.

According to a report published by Al Arabi, “A local source said that an aerial bombardment targeted last night and blew up a number of houses in the village of Mayouf in the town of Badush west of Mosul, stressing to the New Arab that the bombing caused the deaths of more than 40 civilians who were gathered in those houses in order to escape from the area that was controlled by Daesh.”

Iraqi aircraft were reportedly active west of Mosul on the same day, with an assault reported on nearby Badush.

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “In the morning of 4 April, ISIL forcibly gathered 34 civilian men in a house in the ISIL-controlled Ma’youf al-Jubouri neighbourhood of Badoush subdistrict, Mosul district. Later that day, an airstrike hit the house, reportedly killing all 34 civilians inside and an unknown number of ISIL fighters. Sources reported no military activity from the house before the incident. UNAMI/OHCHR could not confirm this specific information.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    34 – 40
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ 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
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF1741933119
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 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

For April 4th-5th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Al Qaim, one strike destroyed an ISIS media facility.”

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    34 – 40
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI645

Incident date

April 17, 2017

Location

الموصل: الزنجيلي, Mosul, Al-Zinjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that Coalition and Iraqi government warplanes carried out airstrikes on Zanjili and other neighbourhoods in West Mosul, killing and wounding dozens.

Iraqyoon and Yaqein spoke of more than 100 dead and wounded in the various western neighbourhoods of the city.

Several other sources reported (possibly based on an ISIL press statement): “55 dead and more than 50 wounded by US and Iraqi bombing on several neighborhoods” in West Mosul.

Iraqyoon posted a photo of a young boy, saying that the child was killed in “indiscriminate bombardment of the international coalition aircraft” in West Mosul.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    24 – 55
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–50
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This young boy (name unknown) reportedly died in Coalition airstrikes on West Mosul, on April 17th (via Iraqyoon)
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

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 16th-17th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, eight strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units; destroyed eight fighting positions, three VBIEDs, three mortar systems, two ISIS vehicles, two heavy machine guns, and one front-end loader; damaged 16 ISIS supply routes and four fighting positions; and suppressed 10 mortar teams and an ISIS tactical unit.”

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
    24 – 55
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–50
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI677

Incident date

April 29, 2017

Location

مشيرفة, Mosul, Meshrfa, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.376753, 43.049025 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven families – an estimated 20 to 40 people – reportedly died in a Coalition or ISF airstrike on a house on the outskirts of Msherfa in West Mosul.

Amnesty International shared the following field report with Airwars, citing a local eyewitness: “I witnessed another airstrike (presumed) on 29 April in Msherfa. It was a one storey building with no cellar. Only the old buildings have cellars; since we got rid of Saddam we didn’t need cellars anymore (said with a wry smile). The airstrike killed seven families. They (coalition airstrikes) killed more civilians than ISIS. For every ISIS killed they killed 100 civilians (exaggeration for effect).

I was at home in 17 Tammuz when I heard the explosion. The fighting at the time was in Rajum Hadeed. It was quite far from my home – maybe 300 metres away – but my aunt lives in that direction so I got on my motorcycle and went to see if she was alright. The explosion was close to my aunt’s house, on the road out of Musharrafeh towards Harmat. There was no fire at the scene, just rubble and dust. The civil defence boys came and started hosing down the dust in order to dig the bodies out.

I didn’t stay around long as I was afraid of a second strike; that the plane would come around and strike again. It didn’t on this occasion. The neighbours at the scene told me that there had been seven families inside. I don’t know if there had been military targets in the neighbourhood but ISIS was usually mixed in with the population.

I was not afraid of ISIS. You grow a beard, you cut your trousers (above the ankle), you don’t smoke and you’re ok. I was afraid of the coalition as when they strike they don’t know the difference between you and ISIS.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 40
  • (2 children2 women)
  • 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 (1) [ 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 Meshrah neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 28, 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. (1403)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 28th-29th: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed four mortar systems, two supply caches, an anti-air artillery system, a tactical vehicle, and an ISIS staging area; damaged seven ISIS supply routes; and suppressed an ISIS mortar team” and “Near Mosul, Iraq; on April 29th, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two fighting positions, two weapons caches, one mortar system, and one front-end loader; and suppressed a heavy machine gun.”

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
    20 – 40
  • (2 children2 women)
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI728

Incident date

May 22, 2017

Location

حي النجار, Mosul, Al-Najjar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3592367, 43.0998802 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Sources said that an entire family was killed after airstrikes had hit their house in Najjar neighbourhood, in West Mosul.

At the time of the attack Sawlf Ateka – a local Facebook group – called for help in a post: “The bombing of the house of Fayez Nazem Mohammed Anis Shandala since yesterday in the neighborhood of Najjar. No one survived except one woman and the rest are still under the rubble. And the names of their children [are] Ahmed and Ali, and the student in the Faculty of Medicine – Ala – and their grandmother Naima Saadullah Ahmed. [The] address of the house: after going down from Mosul Hotel, the first street on the right.”

Mosul Urgent News, another local Facebook page, posted six photos from Najjar neighbourhood that pictured the destruction. It did not say who was responsible.

Two weeks after the fatal incident, the Ninawa media centre reported that some of the bodies had not been found at the house and asked for information. “The bodies of four people were not found in the house during the shelling. They were Fayez Nazem and his sons Ahmad and Ali and his daughter Alaa Faiz. Please feel free to contact us at 07513619341.” @zyaad_alsenjary equally reported on Twitter that they bodies had not been found yet. He blamed the Coalition for the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Fayez Nazem Mohammed Anis Shandala
Adult male Father killed
Ahmed
Child male Son killed
Ali
Adult male Son killed
Ala
Adult female Daughter, medicine student killed
Naima Saadullah Ahmed
Adult female Grandmother killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 women)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Scenes of destruction in Mosul's Najjar neighbourhood (via Mosul Urgent news)
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.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 21st-22nd, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and a sniper; destroyed 18 fighting positions, nine medium machine guns, six VBIEDs, four rocket systems, three rocket-propelled grenade systems, three heavy machine guns, a command and control node, a vehicle, a supply cache, a mortar system, and a tunnel; damaged 15 ISIS supply roads, a fighting position; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 women)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI746

Incident date

June 3, 2017

Location

الشفاء والزنجيلي, Mosul, Zanjili and Shifa, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that more than 300 civilians were killed during two days of fighting in Zanjili and Shifa neighborhoods, in West Mosul. The loss of life was reportedly caused by ISIL shooting on fleeing civilians, as well as by airstrikes carried out by Iraqi Forces and the international Coalition.

Sawlf Ateka Facebook page quoted the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, which had reported that 250 civilians had died.

Eyewitnesses and a doctor from the Nineveh Department of Health told Al Araby News that “at least 300 civilians were killed in the past two days during the shelling on the city, and because of executions and ISIL snipers.” The doctor furthermore said that “the streets of Zanjili, Shifa and the Old City are scattered with bodies of civilians of different ages, and the medical teams have not been able to pull them [from the streets] so far, because of continued fighting and shelling and because the army leadership prevented the entry of medical teams and civil defense to recover the bodies of the victims.”

The news site also cited local media who were accompanying the Iraqi security forces in the battle of Mosul. They had reported that US aircraft had launched missiles containing toxic white phosphorous in the bombing of Shifa. A military spokesman of the Joint Operations Command, however, denied the use of White Phosphorous.

Sources had also told Yaqein that “dozens of bodies were scattered around as they [civilians] had tried to flee the Zanjili neighborhood of Mosul, while bags with their belongings were spread on the street on the way out of the neighborhood.” Yaqein spoke of more than 100 bodies.

In a later report, Alaraby spoke to a doctor, who reported over 30 bodies had arrived at the hospital he works at, and dozens of others in various field hospitals. He said some of the bodies had been hit by gunfire from a close distance. Others had died from shrapnel as a result of “Iraqi” bombing and artillery shelling, according to the newspaper.

Survivors had told the doctor that dozens of bodies were still under the rubble of destroyed houses. “One of the survivors who managed to escape spoke of the presence of seven members of her family under the rubble of her demolished house in Zanjili district.”

Journalists around the World and Enlib posted drone images on Facebook showing the aftermath of the destruction in the neighbourhood.

Naqa Al Yasimin said on Facebook that Mullah Walid Khaled was among the dead. He used to be the owner of a famous shop, called Tarshi Smak. Moreover, a local citizen, Yasin Mahmood, posted a handwritten list on Facebook with the names of 106 civilians that were reported wounded in Zanjili.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mullah Walid Khaled
Adult male Owner of a famous shop called Tarshi Smak killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    250 – 300
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    106
  • 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, ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A list with the names of the many injured civilians in Zanjili neighbourhood after heavy shelling took place (via Yasin Mahmood, Facebook)
  • Continued list of victims (via Yasin Mahmood, Facebook)
  • Imagery from above showing victims of the attack
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
  • Aug 4, 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

For June 2nd-June 3rd the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and a sniper; destroyed 21 fighting positions, three medium machine guns, three mortar systems, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, and two VBIEDs; damaged five fighting positions; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit and mortar team.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

ISIS Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    250 – 300
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    106
  • 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, ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI814

Incident date

July 27, 2017

Location

الطارمية, Tarmiyah, al Baghdadi, Baghdad, Iraq

Geolocation

33.675556, 44.391667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to many sources, up to six civilians died and others reported injured in alleged Coalition airstrikes on Tarmiyah North in Baghdad.

Sources said that a drone strike targeted the home of Tarmiyah council member Jameel Al Shermeet and a gathering of young people at the Narjes restaurant at 10.25pm.

The source revealed 6 victim names and also one injured, named as Sabah Naji, who was reportedly left in a serious condition.

According to NRT, the local residents told NRT’s Arab correspondent that the missile targeted a group of young people in a cafe, killing two people and wounding four others.

Al Tarmiyah said that the group were playing dominoes when they were struck.

Sabr Al Tawlba also blamed the Coalition and put the death toll at six.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Adult male Via news ofiraq3 killed
Age unknown male Via news ofiraq3 killed

Family members (2)

Mohammad Sabah Naji
killed
Ahmed Sabah Naji
killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male Via news ofiraq3 killed
Adult male Via news ofiraq3 killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–10
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • An image of the five victims killed after the alleged Coalition drone strike in Al Tarmiyah North, Baghdad, July 27th (via Iraq News Centre)
  • A picture of one of the victims was killed/injured following the alleged Coalition airstrikes on Tarmiyah North in Baghdad (via Al Sharqiya TV)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture of Ahmed Sabah Naji, initially wounded, but died on the following day (via Al Tarmiyah)
  • A picture of Saad Hussein Al-Khattab, killed following alleged Coalition airstrikes on Tarmiyah North in Baghdad (via news ofiraq3)
  • A picture of Omar Jamil al-Sharmait, killed following alleged Coalition airstrikes on Tarmiyah North in Baghdad (via news ofiraq3)
  • A picture of Moataz Sobhi Yassin killed following an alleged Coalition airstrikes on Tarmiyah North in Baghdad (via news ofiraq3)
  • Ahmed Jamil Al Shermait, killed following an alleged Coalition airstrikes on Tarmiyah North in Baghdad (via news ofiraq3)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that “the airstrike targeted the house of Jamil Al Sharmait, a member of the municipal council. The second targeted a youth gathering near the Nargis restaurant.” The house of Jamil Al Sharmait (where 4 civilians were killed and 2 were injured) is reportedly located in the town of Tarniyah (البغدادي), north of the city of Baghdad. The coordinates for the residential area north of Tarniyah (البغدادي) are: 33.675556, 44.391667. Due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location of the Nargis restaurant (targeted in the second strike, which took place at 10:25 PM). The generic coordinates for the town of Tarniyah (البغدادي) are: 33.669167, 44.3825.

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 Tarmiyah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 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 July 27th-28th, the Coalition reported: “Near Baghdad, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–10
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI846

Incident date

September 13, 2017

Location

Al Zab district of Hawijah, Kirkuk, Iraq

Geolocation

35.394648, 43.574524 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Yaqin reported on the death of five civilians following US or Iraqi airstrikes on the district of Haweija, in the Tamim area.

A source reportedly told Yaqin, The Joint Air Force bombed several areas in Hawija district, killing five people. The source added: the shelling caused a state of terror among the population and caused the demolition of a number of houses for citizens.

A possibly more accurate location was documented in a report by Iraq News, which noted shells fired by US artillery on the villages of Al Zab district of Haweija, located in the area of Al Qaraj. However, Iraq News did not mention civilian casualties.

No further details are available at present.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that the alleged Coalition airstrike targeted villages in the Al Zab subdistrict of the Hawijah district in the Tamim (Kirkuk) governorate. The coordinates for the Al Zab subdistrict are: 35.394648, 43.574524. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further

  • Al Zab subdistrict

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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 Zab district, Hawijah, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLE705177
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 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 September 12th- 13th the Coalition reported “Near Hawijah, three strikes destroyed six ISIS tunnel.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]