Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Local sources said that up to 80 civilians were killed or injured after Coalition or Iraqi airstrikes targeted the Omar mosque area in al-Faruq neighborhood in western Mosul.
The mosque was used as a shelter by displaced families, according to the Niniva Media Center.
Reuters cited three local witnesses, noting that “The Omar al-Aswad mosque, in the al-Faruq district of the old city center, was hit by an airstrike, three residents in the same area told Reuters by phone. Neighboring houses were damaged or collapsed because of the blast, they said without giving a precise estimate of the casualties as their moves are restricted by the militants.”
Urgent Mosul news reported that “this morning warplanes targeted Omar Black Mosque in al-Faruq area on the right side [with] several missiles, which led to the death of more than 50 civilians and the destruction of homes adjacent to the mosque.
Residents had also reported this to Reuters, said Mosul MNN. “They added that the neighboring houses were damaged or collapsed because of the blast, without giving precise estimates of the number of dead and injured because the regulation restricts their movements. A spokesman for the Coalition led by the United States said he did not know that an attack targeted a mosque. For his part, the Iraqi military officer told the media that the battle continues, and that forces [may be] targeting elements of Daesh wherever they may be, but [he] declined to mention targeting this particular mosque.”
One resident of al-Faruq neighbourhood (pictured below), was named as killed in the raids.
In its July 2017 casualty report the Coalition appeared to deny responsibility for the attack, noting: “March 1, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”
The coordinates supplied to Airwars – 36.344546, 43.121074 – were less than 400m from Farouk though were also less than 1000m from Sha’aren, scene of another alleged event that day.
Airwars is presently querying this incident with the Coalition.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (17) [ collapse]
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
-
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
For February 28th-March 1st, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine mortar systems, six fighting positions, five VBIED facilities, three supply caches, three ISIS-held buildings, three VBIEDs, and an improvised weapons factory; damaged six supply routes; and suppressed 14 mortar teams and two ISIS tactical units.”