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
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Incident Code

CI099

Incident date

September 1, 2015

Location

مكحول, Makhul, Salah al Din, Iraq

Geolocation

35.20437, 43.27905 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Reports alleged that a Coalition strike killed 11 civilians “including elderly people,” and injured 18 more. According to an activist Facebook page, “Coalition planes bombed the market in the village of Makhul, which was full of displaced people.”

Another site attributed alleged civilian fatality estimates to the police, though said the airstrike responsible was by “unidentified aircraft.”

In their May 2020 civilian casualty report, 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
    11
  • Civilians reported injured
    18
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ 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
    38SLD433970
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2020

  • Sept. 1, 2015, in Makhul, 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. 2814/CI099 38SLD433970

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

While there was no strike described for Makhul, the Coalition did report that for August 31st-September 1st 2015: “Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL vehicles and an ISIL weapons cache.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • Civilians reported injured
    18
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI132

Incident date

November 2, 2015

Location

سنجار, Sinjar, Um Al Theban, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3206914, 41.8641115 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eleven civilians were reportedly killed at Um Al Theban while crossing between Syria and Iraq, in what was claimed to be a Coalition airstrike. The incident is presently poorly reported.

In its July 2017 report, the Coalition classed the event as non credible on grounds of having conducted no strikes in the vicinity: “Nov. 2, 2015, near Sinjar, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties. “

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Sinjar, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition has confirmed heavy airstrikes in the Sinjar area at ths time. For November 1st-2nd 2015 it was reported that “Near Sinjar, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL weapons cache, and two ISIL fighting positions.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI228

Incident date

April 18, 2016

Location

صديرة, Sudayrah, Salahudin, Iraq

Geolocation

35.4669, 43.28284 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, unknown aircraft struck boats in Sidera village east of Shirkat north of Tikrit, killing 22 civilians and injuring at least 15 more.

Russia Today claimed that the night time event “killed five brothers from one family” with a number of houses in the village destroyed.

According to News of Iraq, the civilians died when boats carrying food were struck on the river: “It’s noteworthy that as a result of the siege of Fallujah and the hunger people are suffering, they are being forced to use boats to move some relief aid in from other regions, particularly after the destruction of nearby bridges.”

Al Sumaria blamed the Coalition, while News of Iraq said the Iraqi military was responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    22
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–20
  • 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]

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 April 17th-18th 2016, the Coalition did report destroying a boat, though placed the attack near Mosul: “Near Mosul, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL mortar positions, two ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL vehicle, and an ISIL boat and suppressed an ISIL rocket team.“

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
    22
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–20
  • 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

CI260

Incident date

June 30, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, East [Cultural group], Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, a targeted Coalition strike on the local head of ISIL’s sharia courts killed both him and his wife. They reportedly held French passports. The strike targeted the Al-Majmoa’ Al-Thaqafiya area of western Mosul.

In the second 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
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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]

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
    38SLF371263
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • June 30, 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. 2985/CI260 38SLF371263

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For June 29th-30th 2016, the Coalition reported that ” Near Mosul, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL supply cache.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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

CI324

Incident date

November 6, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Sehab, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

An Iraqi security source who spoke with Airwars reported the deaths of 16 civilians spread among several families. The source said they were all in a house in a neighbourhood of eastern Mosul when it was hit by an airstrike at 7 PM on November 6th.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English
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
  • Jul 26, 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 November 5th-6th, the Coalition reported “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units, a mortar system and a fighting position; destroyed four vehicles, three mortar systems, a VBIED, a command and control node, an artillery system, and a weapons cache; and damaged three tunnel systems and a vehicle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

CI402

Incident date

January 7, 2017

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Dargizliya, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “In the morning of 7 January, 15 civilians, including two women and three children, were alleged to have been killed in an airstrike targeting ISIL vehicles at the Hamameel roundabout in the Dargizliya neighbourhood of eastern Mosul.”

Airwars researchers have so far identified no known public allegations of civilians killed or injured relating to this incident.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For January 6th-7th the Coalition publicly stated that: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, two VBIEDs, two ISIL-held buildings, two heavy machine guns, two weapons caches, an IED, a mortar system, a homemade explosives facility, an ISIL headquarters building, a supply cache, and a mobile artillery system; damaged 21 supply routes; and suppressed five tactical units.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI435

Incident date

January 19, 2017

Location

الرفاعي, Mosul, Rifai, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3558497, 43.0937862 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said 14 civilians were killed and 6 injured, mostly children and women, in Coalition airstrikes that had targeted their homes in Rifai neighbourhood northwest of Mosul.

Iraqi Spring Media Center said that seven children, four women and three men were killed as a result of the bombing on their homes.

On March 4th the Coalition announced that it was assessing one event in Mosul for January 19th – with an official confirming to Airwars that the alleged event was at al Rifai. In April it noted: “Jan. 19, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: 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
    14
  • (7 children4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ 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
  • Apr 1, 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 January 18th-19th the Coalition publicly noted: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units, destroyed 49 watercraft, three ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, three mortars, three barges, two vehicles, a VBIED facility, a command and control node, and three excavators; suppressed an ISIL tactical unit; and damaged two tunnels and 12 supply routes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14
  • (7 children4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI471

Incident date

February 20, 2017

Location

الموصل: غرب/الجانب الأيمن, Mosul, West / Right side, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.336843, 43.117979 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local and press sources said that 89 civilians, including 32 children, were killed and 134 others injured due to Coalition airstrikes and artillery shelling during the last 72 hours in the west of Mosul. We have reduced the figure to between 60-80 civilian deaths and 80-100 injuries for February 20th-21st in order to avoid double counting fatalities.

Adding these numbers to those of recent incidents in Mosul, Yaqein stated that: “The death toll and number of wounded of retaliatory aggression (government and international) on the right side of Mosul in Nineveh province, which started its operations around three days ago, rose to more than 220 civilians.

Iraq News quoted the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, which said that “because of inaccurate bombing by the international Coalition planes, 1428 civilians were killed during one month in the city of Mosul.”

In the third of their September 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 the allegation provided insufficient information on the timing and location of the strike to make a determination.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    60 – 80
  • (32 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    80–100
  • 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 (4) [ 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 information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF310229
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 14, 2020

  • Feb. 20, 2017, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. This report contains insufficient information on time, location, or details to assess its credibility. 3083/CI471 38SLF310229

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For February 19th-20th the Coalition publicly noted: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and two ISIS staging areas; destroyed five mortar systems, four vehicles, three supply caches, three artillery systems, two command and control nodes, an ISIS headquarters, an IED facility, a heavy machine gun, a logistics node and a fighting position; damaged 15 supply routes; and suppressed nine mortar teams and an artillery team.”

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
    60 – 80
  • (32 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    80–100
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]