Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

RS1522

Incident date

November 3, 2016

Location

ميزناز, Miznaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.057018, 36.85411 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between eight and 10 civilians, including seven children and one woman, were killed and at least 12 were wounded from thermobaric missile airstrikes targeting the village of Minaz. However, local sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the airstrikes.

Syrian Network for Human Rights attributed Syrian regime planes to blame, while most other sources including Shaam Network and Qasioun News Agency alleged that Russian planes were to blame for the attacks.

The commander of the civil defence in the western sector of Aleppo, Mohammed Hallak, stated that the civil defence retrieved the bodies of an entire family of four that were killed by the airstrikes. Those that were injured sustained serious injuries that may have caused the number of civilians killed to rise after the time of reporting.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 10
  • (3–7 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Footage showing the damage to residential homes in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Miznaz, 3rd November 2016. (via Qasioun News Agency)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A girl killed in the allegd Russian and Syrian regime raid on Miznaz, 3rd November 2016. (via RfsMediaoffice)
  • Clearing the rubble in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Miznaz, 3rd November 2016. (via RfsMediaoffice)
  • A member of the White Helmets digs for bodies in the rubble in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Miznaz, 3rd November 2016. (via @AlrefaiR)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that “Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces General of the Army Valery Gerasimov stated about the decision taken by the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Sergei Shoigu to set a humanitarian pause in Aleppo at 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. on November 4 under the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief :“All attempts of insurgents to break through in Aleppo have not succeeded. Terrorists have suffered mass losses in manpower, armament and combat hardware. They have no possibilities to leave the city.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 10
  • (3–7 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3946

Incident date

July 24, 2019

Location

قرية طبيش, Tabish village, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

In the evening of July 24th, 2019, alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes caused what was described as “a horrific massacre” of an entire family in the village of Tabish near the city of Khan Sheikhoun in the southern countryside of Idlib.

Local sources reported that the airstrikes struck residential houses in the village of Tabish with several raids. According to Shaam News Network, the shelling of the area repeated two times, causing extensive destruction of more than 15 houses. The source initially reported eight civilians of the same family were killed in addition to a number of missing persons, mostly children and women. In a later post, however, the source reported nine civilians were killed.

The Syrian Civil Defence wrote on Facebook: “Seven civilians were killed and 10 others were injured as a result of the targeting of the village of Tabish in the countryside of Idlib by two raids by Russian warplane with high-impact missiles on Saturday night. Our teams are still searching for missing persons from the ruins of the 15 houses destroyed.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights wrote that “at least 7 civilians, including 3 children and a woman, killed as fixed-wing warplanes which we believe were Russian fired several missiles on Tbish village in Idlib governorate southern suburbs, on July 24, 2019.”

While initial reports reported three to nine civilian deaths, several sources, including @syrian191124, reported the names of 10 victims who were killed in the strikes, including at least three children and two women. It is unclear if the person named as
“the daughter of Ayoub Al Hassan” is a child or adult.

Additionally, Shabha Press and @SYR_REV_NEWS reported 10 injured civilians.

@anwaralnhar tweeted: “10 civilian casualties, the outcome of the targeting of the Russian occupation forces with high-explosive missiles, the Tabissh farm, north of Khan Sheikhoun, in the southern Idlib countryside.”

@z0UdP8TRY3EZAix also mentioned the use of high-explosive missiles in two airstrikes by a Russian warplane.

Nearly all sources, including SyriaTV and @OrientNews, pointed to Russia as the belligerent of the strikes. However, Al Najah News was the only source blaming the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (9)

Kassar Mustafa Al Hassan كسار مصطفى الحسن
25 years old male killed
Ayoub Kassar Al Hassan أيوب كسار الحسن
70 years old male killed
Nour Al Din Ayyub Al Hassan نور الدين أيوب الحسن
35 years old male killed
Muhammad Ayyub Al Hassan محمد أيوب الحسن طفل
Child male killed
Najah Ayoub Al Hassan نجاح أيوب الحسن
Adult female killed
Daughter of Ayoub Al Hassan بنت أيوب الحسن
Age unknown female killed
Muayad Ziyad Al Hassan مؤيد زياد الحسن
13 years old male killed
Muhammad Ziyad Al Hassan محمد زياد الحسن
6 years old male killed
Amna Al Ezzo ( زوجة الحاج رجب
70 years old female wife of Rajab Al Hassan killed

The victims were named as:

Unnamed young man from Ma’arshmarin شب من معرشمارين
28 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (3–4 children2–3 women4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (41) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense teams at the scene after an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes struck Tabish on July 24th (via Syrian Civil Defense),
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams at the scene after an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes struck Tabish on July 24th (via Syrian Civil Defense),
  • Aftermath of an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes struck Tabish on July 24th (via Syrian Civil Defense),
  • A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer carrying an injured child after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via @anwaralnhar).
  • Translation: “Search for civilians under the rubble in Tabish farm in Khan Sheikhoun countryside” (via @abuhuzaifa_).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via SyriaTV).
  • Translate: “Russia records a new massacre... Eight martyrs in Tabish village, and the death toll rises to 16 in Idlib” (via @abohoseen3).
  • A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer carrying an injured child after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via @abohoseen3).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: “A horrific massacre committed by Russian warplanes against civilians in the village of Tabish, north of Khan Sheikhoun. This was done through two air strikes by a Russian warplane with highly explosive missiles, which caused a painful massacre against civilians, in which 10 martyrs were killed” (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil Defence volunteers carrying the body of a male victim after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish, Idlib governorate, on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers carrying the body of a male victim after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer possibly holding a body part of a victim after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish, Idlib governorate, on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil Defence volunteers carrying the body of a child after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish, Idlib governorate, on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (3–4 children2–3 women4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (41) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS876

Incident date

May 28, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Ara Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

36.047659, 38.980279 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality” reported that a drone strike killed a family of ten as their house in northern Raqqa was struck.

Reportedly, three IS fighters were present in the area in the morning, but when a suspected drone was heard the three fleed. The family also tried to flee but the airstrike hit their two-storey farmhouse and killed the 10 family members who were inside.

Meanwhile, other family members who were outside the house, survived unharmed, one of the surviving family members, Mahmoud, told Amnesty’s researchers.

However, on August 30th 2018, the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment of possible civilian harm. In the report, the Coalition wrote: “May 28, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via self-report. 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.”

The Coalition shared the location of this assessed strike with Airwars: 37SDV974852. The event could also possibly be related to incident S769, but this incident cannot be discounted due to insufficient information on the location.

In July 2019 the Coalition reassessed the allegation of civilian harm in this incident and again reached a conclusion that it was non-credible. Their monthly civilian casualty report noted “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.”

The incident occured at 13:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (10)

Ibrahim Mustafa al-Mashood
50 years old male brother of interviewee killed
Ahmad
13 years old male son of Ibrahim killed
Mahmood
21 years old male son of Ibrahim killed
Mohamed
24 years old male son of Ibrahim killed
Mustafa Mahmood Mashood
32 years old male son of interviewee killed
Ahmad Mahmood Mashood
24 years old male Mustafa's brother killed
Jaman Mahmood Mashood
20 years old male Mustafa's brother killed
Ibrahim Mahmood Mashood
15 years old male Mustafa's brother killed
Ahmad Mahmood Mashood
12 years old male interviewee’s nephew killed
Name unknown
30 years old male

The victims were named as:

Sami
30 years old male the farm guard, nickname Abu Jana killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (3 children7 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ 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, Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Stated location
    in Raqqa, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV982892
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2019

  • May 28, 2017, in Raqqa, Syria, via Amnesty International report. After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 27th-28th the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 15 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, three ISIS headquarters, an ISIS staging area and a VBIED.” The Coalition additionally reported that on May 27th “Near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed a six fighting positions, an ISIS-held building and a weapons cache.”
For May 28th-29th, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, eight strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed two fighting positions, two vehicles, two VBIED factories, two VBIED facilities, and an ISIS mechanical facility." For May 28th it added "Near Raqqah, Syria, four strikes destroyed a weapons cache, an ISIS staging area, and three fighting positions".

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (3 children7 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Incident Code

RS2817

Incident date

December 26, 2017

Location

مزرعة العزيزية, Mazrat Al-Aziziya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.470911, 36.728754 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two adult males died in airstrikes by alleged Russian and Syrian regime warplanes in Mazrat Al-Aziziya, local media reported. Sources blamed both said belligerents for the raids.

Aljazeera reported that “10 people were killed and dozens injured others this morning in a Russian air bombardment on the towns of Al Taman’a,  Al Dajaj and Al Hamdaniya and farms in the southern countryside Idlib.” Airwars researchers did not find any civilian casualty allegations for the other towns therefore we have included ten as a possible death toll for this incident.

Footage shows as many as six raids on the vicinity in a continuous bombardment.

According to Syrian Network for Human Rights, “suspected Russian warplanes fired a missile as well as Syrian regime force helicopters dropped several barrel bombs on Mazra’et al Aziziya”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Fakhri Halawa
Adult male brothers killed
Bashar Halaweh
Adult male brothers killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The exact moment six raids targeted Mazrat Al-Aziziya, 26th December 2017. (via Qasioun News Agency)
  • The exact moment six raids targeted Mazrat Al-Aziziya, 26th December 2017. (via Edlib EMC)
  • The exact moment six raids targeted Mazrat Al-Aziziya, 26th December 2017. (via Qasioun News Agency)
  • The aftermath of raids targeted Mazrat Al-Aziziya, 26th December 2017. (via Qasioun News Agency)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced being active in unspecified parts of Syria until December 11th, 2017.


Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS633

Incident date

February 17, 2016

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and ten civilians died in alleged multiple Russian airstrikes on Al Bab, according to local sources.

Asharq Al-awsat reported that ten civilians were killed, though didn’t say who was responsible for the strikes. Dummar media office said Russian warplanes had carried out six raids but didn’t provide casualty numbers.

However, a tweet by Halab Today said there had been as many as 20 Russian strikes. According to the Syrian Observatory: “Warplanes thought to be Russian launched many raids on the Eastern side of the countryside of Aleppo including Al-Bab and Bza’a but no casualties were reported.”

Al-Arabiya noted that there had been Russian strikes in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, though they didn’t specify Al Bab, and added that no casualties had been reported. A 40-minute programme by Al Jissr Satellite TV, reported that four civilians were killed in Al Bab, allegedly in a Russian airstrike.

HNN and Syria Martrys named one victim as killed in a Russian strike.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Omar Juma Allowaki
Age unknown male Named by HNN and Syria Martyrs killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 10
  • (0–1 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Jisr TV reporting on the alleged strikes. (via, Jisir TV)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 10
  • (0–1 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI281

Incident date

August 23, 2016

Location

حي الحدباء, Mosul, Hadba and Zuhoor, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3951712, 43.1503487 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources claimed that the Coalition struck allegedly Hadbah and Zuhoor neighbourhoods in Mosul resulting in up to 10 deaths and additional injuries among other civilians. However US-led alliance has informed Airwars that We can confirm that no Coalition strikes were conducted in Mosul between August 22nd and August 24th.

According to Yaqein, the international airline alliance launched several raids on the Hadbah and Zuhoor neighbourhoods in the city of Mosul, killing nine people and wounding seven others… The shelling also resulted in considerable material damage to civilian homes in neighbourhoods which had been affected raids.

Yaqein later raised its estimate of those killed to ten, with 15 injured.

In a special report, NRN said that the morning strike had targeted Daesh, killing one and injuring 11 fighters. But the local newsgroup also said the [Coalition] bombing was extremely violent and led to physical damage of neighbouring buildings leaving 13 civilian casualties killed or wounded. Our correspondent added that the international alliance resumed air raids on the same day, bombing a headquarters of Daesh in north Mosul, which resulted in the deaths of seven members of ISIL, and the wounding of three civilians.

The accompanying video shows widespread destruction, and civilian casualties being treated for injuries. One eyewitness noted: I have a worker at my shop and after the bombing. I don’t know his fate yet, and there was a family of five or six members, I saw four of them burning completely and died. The other eyewitness said: There was a family of six members, all of them were burned except one woman, we pulled her from under bricks still breathing.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 10
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video shows the destructions following an alleged coalition airstrike on Hadbah and Zuhoor neighbourhoods in Mosul which resulting in the killing of up to 10 civilians and at least 15 injured (via NRN)

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 August 22nd-24th, the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in Mosul. A spokesperson also later told Airwars that “We can confirm that no Coalition strikes were conducted in Mosul between August 22nd and August 24th.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 10
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI341

Incident date

November 16, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, East neighbourhoods, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.368483, 43.184281 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Shelling killed and wounded civilians in eastern Mosul, according to local sources.

Iraq News Center reported shelling from both ISIL and government forces affected civilians in eastern Mosul. Zyaad Al Senjary posted that the mutual bombardment had resulted in a massive number of casualties among civilians.

Rudaw TV meanwhile reported that ten civilians were killed, including a mother and her four kids in the exchange of shelling.

@othmanmhmmadr named one of the dead in Mosul who was identified as a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Mosul. The report blamed Coalition raids for his death.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Dr Safwan Imad
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (4 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A picture of Dr Safwan Emad who was killed following the alleged coalition airstrike (via @othmanmhmmadr)
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
  • Aug 4, 2017

  • The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For November 15th-16th, the Coalition reported “Near Mosul, eight strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units; destroyed three VBIEDs, three mortar systems, two vehicles, two ISIL-held buildings, a weapons cache, an anti-aircraft artillery system, a front-end loader, a VBIED facility, and a command and control node; damaged a supply route and two tunnels; and suppressed a tank.”

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
    10
  • (4 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI518

Incident date

March 7, 2017

Location

المنصور, Mosul, Al Mansour, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.319488, 43.114521 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

There were reports that children and women were killed or injured due to different kinds of shelling and airstrikes on Mansour neighborhood in West Mosul.

@shvm_90 said in a Tweet: “Heavy shelling and brutal air and artillery aimed at reviving #right side [of Mosul] and the strongest was on #Mansour neighborhood and the fall of victims from children and women”

Amnesty International field researchers interviewed survivors, later sharing their notes with Airwars: “We tried to find any way to survive in our house. We found some desks from a school, and we burned them for the heat. We used to make bread using the fire. These were very hard days for us, full of hunger and fear. We just sat there, hearing the sound of the mortars and the airstrikes. Shrapnel was falling through the air like rain. We sat together, all of us, huddled together, near the wall, waiting for a bullet to come through the wall and kill us.

We were on the ground floor of the house, moving between two rooms, for 14 days. We knew the glass would fly in the house if our house was hit, so we used wood, metal, anything we could to cover the windows. We slept on the floor, on a few cushions. It felt like the explosions never stopped.

We weren’t as afraid of the airstrikes, because the airstrikes were targeting specific locations. What we were afraid of was the mortars, because they were striking everywhere.

On 7 March, there was a mortar attack on our house. Usually everyone was inside, but at that time, XXXX and XXXX were outside. [XXXX – 16 years old; XXXX – 15 years old. They left their tent and joined the interview at this point, and showed us their injuries – XXXX had an injury from the shrapnel on her head, which was visible, and XXXX said that she had shrapnel on her back.]

XXXX: We were outside, chatting in the garden. It was a sunny day. Suddenly there was a strong explosion. I think it was a mortar.

Different interviewee: “We heard something hitting the roof. There were two floors in the building, and the top floor collapsed, and the fence outside was destroyed.”

Separate interviewees told Amnesty the following: “On 7 March, around 2pm in the afternoon, there was a big attack on our neighbour’s house. Their house is about 50 meters away from our house. A family of injured people ran to our house. They had injuries on their heads, their faces, their legs. There was blood everywhere. All of the injuries were from shrapnel. Some of us tried to help them, because we knew a little bit of first aid.

Second interviewee

There was a big attack on 7 March. We were staying in al-Mansour, in a house with 40-50 other people – four or five families. Six IS fighters were using the house. They were standing in the front of the house when the attack came. Around 2pm, I heard the sound of the planes, and then the rockets came. There were two rockets, and they destroyed three houses near to the house we were in. The houses were collapsed. I was probably 50 meters away from the strikes. There were two big explosions, and dust, sand, and shrapnel was everywhere. We didn’t go to the collapsed buildings, because we expected there might be another attack – that had happened before. Some of the people from the attack came into our house. One person later died, from the injuries he had from the shrapnel. Another person had an injury on her jaw.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The location of the alleged incident
  • Photos of the aftermath
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
  • Oct 27, 2017

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 6th-March 7th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine fighting positions, five VBIEDs, four vehicles, three roadblocks, two mortar systems, two tactical vehicles, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, a supply cache, an artillery system, a sniper position, a UAV launch site, and a VBIED factory; damaged 23 vehicles, 10 supply routes, and a tunnel; and suppressed two mortar teams.”

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
    2 – 10
  • (2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]