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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Incident Code

CI585

Incident date

March 28, 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 that 19 civilians were killed and 22 injured when airstrikes hit the neighborhood of the Agrarian Reform (Islah Al Zeraei) and the neighborhood of Rifai, in West Mosul. It is unclear who carried out the raids. Yaqein spoke of both “military operations by the combined forces”, “military aircraft and the International Alliance.”

A subsequent report published by Iraqi Spring Media Center said that as many as 53 people had been killed, and another 56 injured, but only gave the location as “the right side of Mosul.” In a likely match for this incident, the Coalition confirmed on June 2nd that it had killed one civilian on March 28th, 2017.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 53
  • Civilians reported injured
    22–56
  • 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 evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF284244
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 28, 2018

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 27th-28th: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, three mortar systems, two VBIEDs, a tactical vehicle, an artillery system, a VBIED facility, and a vehicle; damaged 11 supply routes; and suppressed four ISIS tactical units and two ISIS 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
    19 – 53
  • Civilians reported injured
    22–56
  • 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]

Incident Code

CS1840

Incident date

November 17, 2018

Location

قرية ابوالحسن(البقعان جزيرة)ة , Abo Al Hassan (al-Buqa'an Jazeera), East of Hajin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between 15 and 53 civilians were killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike with “heavy shelling” on the village of Abo Al Hassan, east of Hajin in the Deir Ezzor governorate, according to locals.

Sources claimed that the death toll would rise due to the difficulty in getting civilians out of the rubble. This was reportedly due to the raids targeting residential homes, thereby displacing “hundreds of families”. All sources blamed the International Coalition for the airstrikes.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that at least 15 civilians were killed, including five children and two women.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that out of 36 civilians allegedly killed, 17 were children and 12 were women. The Observatory was the only source which claimed these casualties were members of families of Daesh fighters. Amnesty International re-reported the same figures later on.

Free Deir Ezzor Radio added that the number of deaths as a result of the airstrike had risen to  53 after the later recovery of six new bodies from the rubble, including two children  and the death of two people who died from their injuries. In a further post, it reported the names of victims who belonged to one family.

Boukamal Live claimed that over the preceding 24 hours, over 100 civilians were killed at the hands of the Coalition in Deir Ezzor governorate.

In response to these reports, the US-led alliance published the following statement:

“SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 17, 2018 —

Multiple open source reports today falsely claimed that Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve strikes near Hajin, Syria, resulted in the deaths of civilians.

CJTF-OIR conducted a total of 19 strikes in the Hajin area between the hours of 11:00 p.m. on Nov. 16 and 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 17 Eastern European Time. These strikes were in support of ground operations against ISIS targets in the Middle Euphrates River Valley. CJTF-OIR validated these targets as legitimate ISIS targets and assessed them to be free of civilian presence at the time of the strikes. CJTF-OIR’s initial assessment following the strikes is that there was no evidence of civilians near the strikes.

CJTF-OIR detected a total of ten additional strikes in the same area of Hajin that did not originate from the Coalition or partner forces. These strikes were neither coordinated with nor approved by CJTF-OIR. CJTF-OIR calls on all other actors to cease uncoordinated fires across the Euphrates.

CJTF-OIR deliberately selects targets and uses stringent precautions to avoid injuring or killing innocent civilians in its operations to defeat ISIS. CJTF-OIR takes allegations of civilian casualties seriously and investigate each one thoroughly.”

In the second 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 after a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mohammed Mahmoud Tawfiq Taj Al Deen
Adult male killed
Abdul Hadi Sheikh Dib
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Karim Abass
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 53
  • (17 children12 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (45) [ 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
    Other
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU741359
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 9, 2020

  • Nov. 17, 2018, in Abu Al-Hasan, Syria, via Syrian Observatory for Human Rights report. After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, the alleged civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action. 2633 37SFU741359

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For November 17th, the Coalition publicly reported: On Nov. 17 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 37 strikes consisting of 53 engagements against ISIS targets.
]Near Hajin, 37 strikes engaged five tactical units and destroyed 15 buildings, seven supply routes, seven staging areas, four fighting positons, two weapons caches, one media cell, and one tunnel.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

France report that from Nov 14th – 20th, Task Force Wagram conducted 64 firing missions – 47 ‘lighting’, 17 ‘destruction’. Aircraft carried out 18 sorties but there were no strikes.

‘CHAMMAL SITUATION MILITAIRE DU THEATRE Offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech en Syrie L’opération pour reprendre la poche d’Hajine dans la moyenne vallée de l’Euphrate, lancée le 10 septembre, marque actuellement un temps d’arrêt. Appuyées par la coalition, les forces démocratiques syriennes se réorganisent et consolident leurs positions avant de relancer leur offensive. Poursuite des actions de sécurisation en Irak En Irak, les opérations de sécurisation des forces de sécurité irakiennes (FSI) se poursuivent. Evitant le contact, Daech tente d’alimenter un sentiment d’insécurité par des actions clandestines ciblant indistinctement les FSI ou la population irakienne. ACTIVITE DE LA FORCE La Task Force Wagram en appui de l’offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech présentes dans la vallée de l’Euphrate La Task Force (TF) Wagram appuie l’offensive des forces démocratiques syriennes contre Daech dans la région d’Hajine. Elle a réalisé, depuis le territoire irakien, 64 missions de tir (47 éclairement, 17 destruction – bilan du 14 au 20 novembre inclus).’ Depuis le début de son engagement, la Task Force Wagram a réalisé 2165 missions de tirs.'

Dutch Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For November 14th-20th 2018, the Dutch MoD reported that Dutch F-16’s supported ground troops in the fight against IS during 10 missions. Weapons were deployed during 3 missions above Deir Ezzor in Syria, targeting IS warehouses and fighting positions.

‘In het weekoverzicht van 14 t/m 20 November laat MinDef weten F-16’s te hebben ingezet tijdens 10 missies ter ondersteuning van grondtroepen in de strijd tegen IS. Bij 3 werden wapens ingezet, boven Deir al Zour in Syrie. Opslagplaatsen en gevechtsposities van IS zijn vernietigd.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 53
  • (17 children12 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (45) [ 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
Official source

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

CS1583 RS2590

Incident date

October 4, 2017

Location

البوكمال الباغوز , Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.467345, 40.932505 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In what has been described as a “massacre” between seven and 55 civilians died, and “dozens” were left injured, following suspected airstrikes on the Al Bagouz water crossing, between Bagouz village and Abu Kamal city, on the northern bank of the Euphrates river. Local sources were conflicted as to who was to blame for the strikes, with some alleging the US-led Coalition were to blame, others blamed Russia and SN4HR even blamed the Syrian regime.

Despite this, nearly all sources blamed Russia. Activists told Smart “Russian-made warplanes” conducted the attacks, Jisr TV referred to “Russian occupation aircraft”. Baqras did not apportion blame, though provided a list of three of the victims.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights attributed blame to the Syrian Regime, and documented “at least 7” killed following “warplane missiles”. Baladi totalled nine killed, as did Smart, which both cited Russia as responsible. Most other sources put the death toll between 17 and 35, Euphrates Post however put the death toll as high as 55.

Sources estimated that between 100 and 150 civilians were killed over the series of strikes on river crossings in that vicinity.

Many of the bodies were unidentified according to VDC, due to burns and decapitation.

Local media reported that it was difficult to rescue civilians trapped in the rubble due to the intensity of the fire.

It is unclear from the sources who was responsible, however the Coalition did confirm strikes in the vicinity of Abu Kamal that day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hamadi Ju’ma Al-Ibrahim
Age unknown male killed
Kassar Amer Ibrahim
Age unknown male killed
Barakat Abdul Hamid Ibrahim
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 55
  • (7 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (63) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • Barakat Abdul Hamid Ibrahim, killed in Russian and Coalition airstrikes on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Euphrates)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via@kmal961)
  • Rivers run with blood in aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via@MGhorab3)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Muhaned al Weka’a)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Haijin al Maheba)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Haijin al Maheba)
  • The exact moment an airstrike hit Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via @wassilaoulmi)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Syria direct News)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Syria direct News)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Sound and picture)
    The aftermath of an airstrike in eastern Syria in October 2017
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Huweija al Khanafer, water crossing between البوكمال al Bukamal الباغوز al Baghouz, 4th October 2017. (via Sound and picture)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Huweija al Khanafer water crossing (حویجة الخنافر) between the villages Al Bukamal (البوكمال) and Al Baghouz (الباغوز). The coordinates for this crossing are: 34.467345, 40.932505.

  • The Huweija al Khanafer water crossing (حویجة الخنافر) between Al Bukamal (البوكمال) and Al Baghouz (الباغوز)

    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 Haweij al Khanafer, Syria
    Nearest population center

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
Official source

For October 4th – 5th the Coalition reported No strikes near Al Bukamal.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 55
  • (7 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (63) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI563

Incident date

March 20, 2017

Location

حي الفاروق, Mosul, New Bab/ Farouq, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3431411, 43.1257262 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that 55 civilians were killed by “military operations” in New Bab and Farouq neighborhoods in the west of Mosul.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    55
  • 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
    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 New Bab and Farouq neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 27, 2018

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    55
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI516

Incident date

March 6, 2017

Location

حي الصمود, Mosul, Sumud, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.336144, 43.137013 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local residents and press sources said that eleven civilians were killed and more than 40 people were still under the rubble after a Coalition airstrike targeted the Sumud Quarter near the main generator.

The Telegraph interviewed several witnesses, who reported:

“The planes waited until one of the Daesh walked out into the street and then they struck. The fighter was only injured, but 11 members of one family in the house next door were instantly killed.”

The colossal destruction bore out their claims. Samood is a hellish landscape. Every third house seems to either bear the scars of a fierce firefight or is completely levelled. Burned-out husks of cars and the rubble from razed houses block most of the neighbourhood’s streets.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 55
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 5th-March 6th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area; destroyed 11 fighting positions, eight mortar systems, seven vehicles, four VBIEDs, three ISIS-held buildings, two medium machine guns, two command and control nodes, two roadblocks, a heavy machine gun, an artillery system, and an ISIS checkpoint; damaged 11 supply routes, eight vehicles, and two fuel tanker trucks; and suppressed 10 mortar teams and three ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 55
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI639

Incident date

April 14, 2017

Location

تل خيمة, Tel Kheimeh near Badoosh, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.438611, 42.845556 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a major alleged incident, two interviewees reported that up to 55 civilians died in an Iraqi or Coalition airstrike and ground-based machine gun fire as they attempted to flee ISIS control.

The following unpublished field report was shared by Amnesty International with Airwars: “Interviewee 1: ‘I’m from Tel Kheimeh, a small village, around one kilometre from (the larger) Badoosh (town) in Ninewa Governorate, outside Mosul city. There were about 200 villagers living in Tel Kheimeh. I left on 17 April, after something happened on 14 April. By 14 April the ISF had retaken Badoosh but not the surrounding villages, including Tel Kheimeh.

On 14 April 55 villagers from Tel Kheimeh decided to flee to Badoosh to avoid the forthcoming battle between approach ISF and the ISIS fighters in the village. They walked from Tel Kheimeh across the mountainous terrain towards Badoosh. At around 10pm we heard the sound of a big airstrike (presumed) from Tel Kheimeh, coming from the direction they had gone in. As they were approaching Badoosh a warplane had bombed them. The bombing was following by machine gun fire from the ISF in Badoosh.

Along with the rest of the villagers, I walked to the scene the following morning. All 55 villagers had been killed. Those closest to the explosion had suffered shrapnel wounds. The others had been killed by machine gun fire. One of my (male) cousins was among the victims. Fourteen of them were from the same family. Not one single person from those that left escaped alive. It was mountainous and there were no trees or farm crops to hide behind. They (the ISF) must have thought that the villagers were ISIS but there were only five or ten ISIS fighters in Tel Kheimeh. They killed all these villagers thinking everyone coming from Tel Kheimeh must be ISIS.’

Second interviewee (different date, different camp) ‘I know Tel Kheimeh village, it’s also near Badoosh. I heard about “something bad” happening there. A plane hit them (the villagers from Tel Kheimeh) in the village. They were collected together in a place (not necessarily by force) and a plane hit them. They said that many people died. I don’t know the details.’

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    55
  • 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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Tel Kheimeh near Badoos, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 2018

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 13th-14th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed four fighting positions, a VBIED, a command-and-control node, a tunnel; and damaged five fighting positions, and four ISIS supply routes.”

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
    55
  • 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

CI504

Incident date

March 2, 2017

Location

New Mosul neighbourhood, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

An eyewitness, Ghania Hassan – resident of the al-Jadida (New Mosul) neighborhood – told Foreign Policy that more than 56 civilians were killed after a Coalition missile hit a house where they were gathered, reportedly forced to by ISIL combattants. The eyewitness account as written down by Sam Kimball, Foreign Policy:

“If they stopped the airstrikes, that would be better,” said Ghania Hassan, a resident of the al-Jadida neighborhood. “The coalition has destroyed us.” Hassan has good reason to hate the coalition airstrikes. On March 2, Islamic State militants barged into her home at 5 a.m. and took her and others to another home, where she was packed in with what she believes were well over 100 others in the basement. This may have been an attempt to use the civilians as human shields.

In the basement, Hassan and the group listened to Islamic State fighters firing machine guns nearby. She said that the owner of the house, a man named Abu Imad Ayad, knew his home might be struck by airplanes because of the Islamic State fighters firing all around it, and that he and his son climbed to the roof and tried to signal to the air force not to fire on them.

But at 11 a.m., a missile screeched in and the house crumbled on top of her. She said God is the only reason she survived. “They went up to the roof and were saying, ‘Don’t shoot.’ Then the house fell, and both died,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Hassan said neighbors pulled her out — and would eventually excavate 56 bodies from the rubble. She maintains that it wasn’t just one missile, but several, that fell on the homes of al-Jadida. “House upon house fell,” she said.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    56
  • 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 March 1st-March 2nd the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed 19 fighting positions, four supply caches, four mortar systems, four VBIEDs, three tunnels, two recoilless rifles, two VBIED factories, an ISIS-held building, a command and control node; and a barge; damaged 10 supply routes and two tunnels; and suppressed 14 mortar teams and three ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    56
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]