US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

Belligerent
US-led Coalition
Country
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
2984 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

CI655

Incident date

April 20, 2017

Location

الموصل: غرب/الجانب الأيمن, Mosul, Al-Tanak, Zanjili, Farouk, Rifai, Old City and other neighborhoods, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that airstrikes of the Coalition and the Iraqi airforce on several neighbourhoods in Old Mosul, as well as artillery shelling, led to the deaths of 18 civilians. It was also reported that more than 41 civilians were injured.

Correspondences Team and Al Rafidain reported 17 dead and more than 30 wounded in Al-Tanak, Zanjili, Farouk and Rifai neighbourhoods in West Mosul.

Amnesty field investigators later interviewed survivors of the al Tanak event: “Amnesty International interviewed witnesses to an attack on a civilian house on Street 20 in al-Tenak neighbourhood on either 19 or 20 April 2017. One of the witnesses was “Mohamed”, the house owner.

He had escaped from the area the night before. He learned on the telephone the following day that IS had taken over the house he had abandoned and that, as a result, it had become the target of air strikes. The air strikes destroyed the house containing the IS fighters. It also destroyed an adjoining house with a family inside. The houses were struck three times; two strikes occurred in quick succession and a third was carried out a short time later while rescue efforts were ongoing.

Amnesty International also spoke to two other witnesses, one of whom “Hamza” described going to the scene: “We were still in al-Tenak neighbourhood. The two homes were adjoining each other. After the second bombing, my son Mohamed went to the scene and tried to pull the bodies out of the rubble. One of the occupants, Mohamed Diab, was only buried from the waist down. My son Mohamed put his arms under Mohamed Diab’s armpits and tried to pull him free. They succeeded and Mohamed Diab survived. He was the only survivor from the house. While my son and the other civil defence lads were trying to dig out the others the plane came around again and struck again [for a third time]. It killed one of the [civil defence] lads.”

The first two strikes killed the IS fighters but they also killed the entire family living next door. The third strike killed one of the first responders. Amnesty International is concerned that the choice of munitions in this attack resulted in the destruction of a house full of civilians, as well as the decision to launch a third strike, once the houses had already been destroyed. Based upon available information, there are reasons to suspect that the first two strikes may have been disproportionate. The third strike raises the possibility that rescuers and the injured may have been deliberately targeted.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 18
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–41
  • 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 (8) [ 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
Official source

For April 19th-20th: “Near Mosul, seven strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed five VBIEDs, five front-end loaders, four mortar systems, a medium machine gun and a VBIED factory.”

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
    17 – 18
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–41
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI201

Incident date

March 15, 2016

Location

باب لكش, Mosul, Bab Laksh, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.339738, 43.132406 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said at least four and as many as 13 civilians were killed and 25 injured including children and women after alliance jets struck residential apartments used by displaced people in the Alaymen district of eastern Mosul.

The National Iraqi News Agency reported: “residents said that international coalition aircraft bombed a residential compound belonging to the families of Mosul people which resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians, including three children and five women and wounding three women.“

In what may be the same or a separate Mosul incident that day, NRN News and the Islamic State-linked Al A’amaq reported four or five civilian deaths, after aircraft were said to have targeted the Gulf Commercial Bank in the Dara Lakshman area. Five civilians were also said to have been injured, while four Daesh fighters reportedly died.

In their February 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
    4 – 18
  • (3 children5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–30
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • NRN news identifies the sites of two alleged Coalition airstrikes on Mosul which reportedly killed civilians march 15th

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
    38SLF323232
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020

  • March 15, 2016, in Bab Laksh, 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. 2914/CI201 38SLF323232

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 14th-15th 2016 the Coalition reported that “Near Mosul, four strikes [1 French] struck an ISIL training camp and two ISIL improvised explosive device factories and destroyed four ISIL assembly areas.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 18
  • (3 children5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–30
  • 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

CI615

Incident date

April 6, 2017

Location

الموصل: الزنجيلي, Mosul, Al-Zinjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.350932, 43.111449 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that a mother and her two children were killed in an airstrike on her house in Zanjili neighbourhood, in West Mosul. Mosul Eye blamed the Coalition for the strike. Other sources did not report who was responsible.

See News (Facebook) put the death toll at 13, possibly also referring to other incidents in North Mosul. Journalists Around the World reported that at least 18 died in airstrikes and artillery shelling in West Mosul neighbourhoods that day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 18
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–60
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The location of an airstrike that allegedly killed a mother and her two children (via Mosul Eye Facebook)
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
  • 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

For April 5th-6th: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed five mortar systems, three VBIED factories, three ISIS-held buildings, two anti-air artillery systems, two supply caches, a tactical vehicle, a vehicle, and a weapons facility; damaged nine supply routes, and suppressed six ISIS mortar teams.”

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 18
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–60
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI770

Incident date

June 18, 2017

Location

المشاهدة, Mosul, Meshada, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.344722, 43.121111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A field report by PBS Newshour found that 12 civilians – all members of one family – had died in a likely Coalition airstrike on Meshada.

In August 2019 the Coalition announced that they had assessed this allegation of civilian to be non-credible. Their monthly civilian casualty report noted: “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 following is a transcript of the PBS report:

“JUDY WOODRUFF: One week ago, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi proclaimed victory over ISIS in Mosul. But reality on the ground is different, as the fight continues in parts of the Old City against ISIS holdouts. As special correspondent Marcia Biggs and videographer Alessandro Pavone report, the human toll of the fighting is becoming apparent. And it is horrific. A warning: Many viewers may find images and accounts in this story disturbing.

MARCIA BIGGS: This is what so-called liberated Mosul looks and sounds like, in a small pocket of the Old City, the war against ISIS seemingly ongoing. And this is the Old City from ground level, a scene of utter devastation, entire neighborhoods flattened by coalition airstrikes, leaving the few survivors to search for the remains of their loved ones. Bashar and Ali’s families were together in this house hit by an airstrike 28 days ago. Ali names the dead one by one.

ALI, Mosul Resident (through interpreter): My mother, three brothers, three sisters, my father, two sisters-in-law, two nieces.

MARCIA BIGGS: And you’re the only one left from your family.

ALI (through interpreter): Yes.

MARCIA BIGGS: Shu Bedak Tamel, what are you going to do now?

MAN (through interpreter): What can I do? I just want to take the bodies out and bury them.

MARCIA BIGGS: Mosul is the capital of Nineveh Province and it is the men of Nineveh’s civil defense unit that are responsible for pulling the dead out of the rubble.

They arrive with their crude tools, an ancient jackhammer, a broken sledgehammer, and when all else fails, they use their hands. One of the family members is adamant that the family is under this spot in a washroom. “Just open the hole,” this family member says. But trying to drill through over a foot of concrete proves impossible and one of the relatives finds another way into the house. So we enter the ruins in the dark.

So this was the washroom they were talking about. He’s saying there’s a baby inside.

In total, they are looking for 18 bodies. There were two families in the adjoining houses that night. Bashar lost six members of his family, including his wife and four children.

BASHAR, Mosul Resident (through interpreter): We tried to escape the day before, but ISIS shot at us. We ran back to the house and the army told us, stay inside. We will evacuate you when we make the area safe.

But the next morning, the airstrike hit our house. There were two bombs.

MARCIA BIGGS: Were you in the house when the explosion happened?

BASHAR (through interpreter): Yes, but I was near the front door of this house. I was the only one who didn’t get injured, along with my neighbor’s family. And my youngest daughter was rescued by the army. She’s still alive.

MARCIA BIGGS: The remnants of life that night are frozen in time. Food sits uneaten on the kitchen counter, but the clock still runs. Hours pass, then finally a breakthrough. It’s a skull. So they’re telling me they have no idea who that little girl was. There were six or seven little girls in that room, and the body is so decomposed, all there is, is a skull. The search for remains lasts all day, with relatives waiting nervously. “God protect them,” this one says.

They found four bodies out of 18, 14 left to go. The smell of death is unbearable. For the members of Mosul’s civil defense, it’s an ordinary day. The day before, they pulled 19 bodies from the rubble. Rabih Mishaal Mohamed is a sergeant with the unit, all of whom are working without pay.

RABIH MISHAAL MOHAMED, Nineveh Civil Defense (through interpreter): The hardest part is when you see a child under the rubble because he is innocent, he is a child. He has nothing to do with the army or ISIS or anyone.

MARCIA BIGGS: Why do you do this?

RABIH MISHAAL MOHAMED (through interpreter): It is very difficult for us, but they are like family, our brothers our fathers, mothers, friends. If we don’t take their bodies out, who will come and do that? So we withstand it. We have to withstand it.

MARCIA BIGGS: Withstand it, they must. It’s a scene that will play out again and again in the days to come, a tiny sliver of comfort to the families, who are clinging to what little they can find.”

Coalition officials told Airwars that Iraqi strikes had ceased on the inner city by about this period, making this most likely a US strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18
  • (7 children)
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • As family members look on, Mosul civil defence search for the bodies of 18 civilians killed in a likely Coalition airstrike June 18th 2017 (Image via PBS Newshour)
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
    Other
  • Stated location
    near Al Meshada neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF314238
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 29, 2019

  • Jun. 18, 2017, near Al Meshada neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For June 17th-18th, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed six fighting positions, a supply cache and an artillery system.” It was additionally reported that “On June 17, near Mosul, Iraq, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed 22 vehicles, two command and control nodes, a VBIED, and an artillery system; and damaged five ISIS supply routes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18
  • (7 children)
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1820

Incident date

October 30, 2018

Location

و الكشمة, Al Kashma, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.6205556, 40.9386111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported on “two new massacres” resulting from alleged Coalition airstrikes targeting the towns of Al Sha’fa and al-Kashma in Deir al-Zour. Several sources including Free Deir Ezzor Radio and Baladi News reported the killing of a total of 17 non-combatant civilians including four women and three children.

Baladi added that the victims were all Iraqis.

However, Step News Agency and a tweet from @Olay reported that 17 civilians were killed in Kashma alone and four others in the town of Shaafa, including women and children.

According to Step, those killed were members of ISIS families.

In its October 2020 monthly civilian casualty review, the US-led Coalition classed this event as ‘non credible’, asserting that “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.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (0–3 children0–4 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (8) [ 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
  • Stated location
    al Kashma, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU777326
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 29, 2020

  • 5. Oct. 30, 2018, al Kashma, Syria, 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. 3217/CS1820 37SFU777326

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 30th, the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Hajin, six strikes engaged six tactical units, and destroyed nine vehicles, seven supply routes, and one vehicle borne IED.”

Dutch Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For October 24th – 31st, Dutch MoD reports that Dutch F-16s supported ground troops during nine missions. Weapons were deployed in four: near Abu Kamal, Deir Ezzor governorate, Syria and near Mosul, Nineveh province, Iraq. Targets were ISIS warehouses and vehicles.

‘In de strijd tegen terreurorganisatie ISIS ondersteunden Nederlandse F-16’s grondtroepen tijdens 9 missies. Bij 4 zijn wapens ingezet. Een overzicht van Defensieoperaties in de week van 24 tot 31 oktober 2018. Dat gebeurde in de provincies Deir al Zour en Ninawa, in de omgeving van Abu Kamal (Oost-Syrië) en Mosul (Irak). Doelwit waren opslagplaatsen en voertuigen van ISIS.‘

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For Oct 24th-30th, France report that the three CAESAR guns of Task Force Wagram have conducted 6 firing missions from Iraqi territory. Aircraft carried out 18 sorties and four strikes north of Abu Kamal, Syria.

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, se poursuit. Daech a profité des mauvaises conditions météorologiques pour mener des contre-attaques cette semaine et reprendre du terrain aux forces démocratiques syriennes. Poursuite des actions de sécurisation en Irak En Irak, les opérations de sécurisation des forces de sécurité irakiennes (FSI) se poursuivent. ACTIVITÉ DE LA FORCE Le dispositif français déployé au Levant n’a pas évolué. 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 Wagram appuie l’offensive des forces démocratiques syriennes contre Daech dans la région d’Hajine. Les trois canons CAESAR ont ainsi réalisé, depuis le territoire irakien, 6 missions de tir (éclairement, harcèlement, destruction – bilan du 24 au 30 octobre inclus). Depuis le début de son engagement, la Task Force Wagram a réalisé 1998 missions de tirs. Les bases aériennes en Jordanie et aux EAU en appui des opérations Au sein de la coalition, les aéronefs français basés en Jordanie et aux Émirats arabes unis poursuivent leurs actions contre Daech. Cette semaine, les aéronefs de l’opération Chammal ont réalisé 18 sorties aériennes (bilan du 24 au 30 octobre inclus) et conduit 4 frappes, en appui des FDS au nord d’Abou Kamal en Syrie. Bilan total de l’action du pilier appui aérien depuis le 19/09/14 : 8600 sorties / 1476 frappes / 2275 objectifs neutralisés.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (0–3 children0–4 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI077

Incident date

June 25, 2015

Location

‎القيارة, Qayyarah, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.7977836, 43.2935143 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 17 civilians were allegedly killed during a coalition air raid at Qayyarah near Mosul, two sources claimed.

NINA reported that six women and four children were among the dead. And German news agency DPA gave identical casualty figures, citing a source as saying that “the bodies of the civilians have now reached the forensic medicine department in Mosul.“

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (4 children6 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

  • NINA
    • Arabic
    • Arabic
  • DPA
    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention unnamed residential neighbourhoods in the city of Qayyarah (القيارة), South of Mosul, for which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 35.7977836, 43.2935143

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 Qayyarah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 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

Three coalition airstrikes were reported in the vicinity for June 25th-26th 2015: “Near Mosul, three airstrikes struck an ISIL checkpoint, an ISIL staging area and an ISIL mortar firing position.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (4 children6 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

  • NINA
    • Arabic
    • Arabic
  • DPA
    • English
    • English

Incident Code

CI147

Incident date

November 26, 2015

Location

جامع خالد بن الوليد, Fallujah, near Khalid Bin Al Waleed mosque, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.338889, 43.746667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources in Fallujah alleged that Coalition aircraft bombed a house with three families inside near Khalid Bin Al Waleed mosque, killing at least 12 and wounding six more – mostly children and women.

The reported 11.30pm airstrike caused multiple casualties, with many victims buried under a collapsed building. The Baghdad Centre for Human Rights said that both Coalition and Iraq government aircraft had participated in the attack, while all other sources pointed only to the Coalition.

Jasim Al Assal, a member of the local provincial council, complained that “the desire by local people to be free from Daesh terrorists does not justify inaccuracy by the international coalition, who must spare civilians including children and women in Fallujah.”

In July 2017 the Coalition said it had classed the event as non credible on grounds of insufficient evidence of civilian harm: “Nov. 26, 2015, near Fallujah, Iraq, via Airwars report: 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.”

However, given the well-chronicled nature of the event, and confirmed Coalition strikes in the vicinity, Airwars will continue to list this event as likely – while seeking additional clarification from the Coalition.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdarahman Ahmed Ibrahim
11 years old male killed
Ahmad Kamal Ibrahim
12 years old male killed
Abdarahman Lance Tawfiq
1 years old male killed
Ruasi Kamal Ibrahim
12 years old male killed
Hmsh Kamal Ibrahim
4 years old male killed
Rana Omar Khalil
2 years old female killed
Fatimah Tawfiq Shafi
37 years old female killed
Abrahim Ahmed Ibrahim
3 years old male killed
Omar Khalil
32 years old male killed
Wife of Omar Khalil
27 years old female killed
Ayman Hamid Abdul Jabbar
7 years old male killed
Hamid Abdul Jabbar Abdullah
38 years old male killed
Yousef Ahmed Ibrahim
3 years old male injured
Asia Kamal Ibrahim
1 years old female injured
Ahmed Ibrahim Ghaith
10 years old male injured
Huda Khamis Farhan
12 years old female injured
Alaa Hamid
13 years old male injured
Aqil Hamid Abdul Jabbar
10 years old male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 17
  • (8 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Child victims of alleged Coalition strike at Fallujah, November 26th 2015 (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • Omar Khalil, victim of a reoprted Coalition strike at Fallujah, November 26th 2015

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child victims of an alleged Russian airstrike on Ar Raqqah, November 26th (via SN4HR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Yousif Ahmed Ibrahim Hussein (via Iraqi Revolution)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim (via Iraqi Revolution)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mustafa Ahmed Ibrahim (via Iraqi Revolution)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Martyr Abdulrahman Anas (via Iraqi Revolution)
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 Fallujah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition confirms carrying out strikes in the near vicinity on November 26th-27th 2015: “Near Fallujah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL rocket rail, an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL improvised explosive device (IED) cache, and an ISIL command and control node.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 17
  • (8 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1491

Incident date

September 14, 2017

Location

دشيشة, Al Dasheisha, Al Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

35.7858464, 40.8256812 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seventeen civilians were reported killed in alleged airstrike by the US-led Coalition on al Dashisha village, according to local sources. However the claim has been strongly refuted by some sources.

Jisirtv said the civilians were inside a car which was subject to an “intensive aerial bombardment” by Coalition forces. @watannews2015 said the family of Abyan Khader were killed in the attack.

There are very few sources for an incident of this magnitude and the incident was refuted by al Shadadi news centre (@ShMC99).

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

The family of Abyan Khader
killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Dashish (دشیشة), for which the coordinates are: 35.7858464, 40.8256812. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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 September 13th – 14th the Coalition reported no strikes near Al Hassaka.
For September 14th – 15th the Coalition reported no strikes near Al Hassaka.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]