US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

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US-led Coalition
Country
Iraq
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Incident Code

CI087

Incident date

July 27, 2015

Location

الشرقاط, Shirqat, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.55987, 43.27651 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US airstrike on a convoy of Islamic State vehicles also injured at least one civilian, CENTCOM conceded some months later.

According to a press statement issued on January 29th 2016, “On July 27, 2015, near Ash Sharqat, Iraq, during strikes against ISIL vehicles, it was assessed one civilian was injured.”

Local media said that seven Daesh militants were killed in the attack and others wounded. However no civilian casualties were publicly reported at the time, suggesting the casualty was determined as a result of post-strike footage analysis.

At the time, the Coalition reported no strikes in the immediate vicinity of Ash Sharqat. A CENTCOM spokesman later clarified that “The strike location originally appeared as Makhmur on the 28 July CJTF strike release. However, subsequent review determined the strike was closer to Ash Sharqat, which is approx. 37 miles from Makhmur.”

In July 2019, the Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this event, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest town at 35.282674, 43.163426

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    1
  • Stated location
    near Ash Sharqat, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLE438365
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 29, 2016

  • On July 27, 2015, near Ash Sharqat, Iraq, during strikes against ISIL vehicles, it was assessed one civilian was injured.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reported for July 27th-28th 2015. that “Near Makhmur, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed 19 ISIL fighting positions, 10 ISIL tunnels and three ISIL vehicles.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI474

Incident date

February 21, 2017

Location

near Mosul, Iraq, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on June 2nd 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment on social media claims of civilian harm “near Mosul, Iraq”. According to the Coalition report, “10. Feb. 21, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in this geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

The strike was assessed as non credible based on the claim that “no Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.” However, the Coalition reported multiple strikes in Mosul that day.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

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

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 2, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in this geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For February 20th-21st the Coalition publicly noted: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed 11 mortar systems, three ISIS headquarters, three ISIS-held buildings, two anti-air artillery systems, two tactical vehicles, two supply caches, a front-end loader, a fighting position, a weapons facility, a VBIED and an IED; damaged nine supply routes and suppressed 14 mortar teams and an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

CI538

Incident date

March 13, 2017

Location

Mosul, Rujm Hadid, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on November 30th 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment of civilian harm claims “near Mosul, Iraq”. According to the Coalition report, “March 13, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via international organisation: 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.”

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

No coordinates were provided by the Coalition when they published their investigation into the civilian event, however, Rujm Hadid was mentioned. Using open source maps Airwars has found a possible location for Rujm Hadid near the sheep market in West Mosul: 36.3272, 43.0731

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 March 12th-13th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units, an ISIS staging area and an ISIS sniper team; destroyed 16 fighting positions, five VBIEDs, four mortar systems, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, two supply caches, two VBIED factories, and a vehicle; damaged 22 supply routes; and suppressed 14 ISIS mortar teams, two ISIS tactical units, and an ISIS sniper team.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

CI603

Incident date

April 3, 2017

Location

تل عفر, Tall Afar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.379238, 42.44814 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an event previously not tracked by Airwars, the Coalition denied social media claims of having caused civilian casualties at Tal Afar.

According to the June report, “22. April 3, 2017, near Tal Afar, Iraq, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

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 Tal Afar, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SKF7109029037
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 2, 2017

  • No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 2nd-3rd the Coalition publicly reported that: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed a fighting position, a mortar system, and a rocket-propelled grenade system; damaged three fighting positions, two supply routes, and a supply cache; and suppressed eight ISIS mortar teams and four ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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

CI768

Incident date

June 17, 2017

Location

Mosul, Zahra, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.387778, 43.206179 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on September 29th 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment on social media claims of civilian harm “near Mosul, Iraq”. According to the Coalition report, “114. June 17, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: 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.”

The Coalition shared the location of this assessed strike with Airwars. The location was stated as al Zahra in Mosul.

The strike was assessed as non credible based on the claim that “no Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.” However, the Coalition reported multiple strikes in Mosul that day.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

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
    38SLF3911428454
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 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 June 16th-17th the Coalition reported that “Near Mosul, three strikes [1 Australian] engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed 15 fighting positions, two supply caches, a mortar team, and a VBIED; damaged seven fighting positions; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

CI135a

Incident date

November 7, 2015

Location

Qayarrah, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.78902, 43.28817 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a field investigation conducted by reporters Azmah Khan and Anand Gopal for the New York Times Magazine, one civilian was killed and one injured by a Coalition airstrike on Qayyarah – both of them young children. The Coalition admitted the casualties in early 2020.

Khan and Ghopal report the following: “Tibea Alla, a 10-year-old girl, was playing with her brother outside, when City Hall, which is located behind the Department of Education Storage Facility and used by ISIS, was hit by an airstrike on or near 11/7/2015. Shrapnel from the blast killed Tibea, who had been playing nearby, and wounded her younger brother, who lost his arm.”

In its December 2019 civilian casualty assessment – published on February 13th 2020 – the US-led Coalition conceded the event, noting that “Nov. 7, 2015, in Qayyarah, Iraq, via New York Times report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally killed and one other unintentionally wounded as a result of the strike.  2348 38SLE453619”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Tibea Alla
10 years old female killed
Brother of Tibea
Child male Younger than 10 injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    1
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    1
  • Stated location
    in Qayyarah, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLE453619
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 13, 2020

  • Nov. 7, 2015, in Qayyarah, Iraq, via New York Times report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally killed and one other unintentionally wounded as a result of the strike. 2348 38SLE453619

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]