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

RS2286 CS1105a

Incident date

June 15, 2017

Location

مراط, Mrat, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.31407, 40.23865 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an airstrike which hit Mrat, as many as 11 civilians were killed – including six from one family – and dozens more were wounded, according to local media. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Most attributed blame to the Syrian regime, while Souriyati, blamed the Coalition. Others also blamed Russian warplanes for the raids. 

According to @raedsyrian002, “the Air Force destroyed one of the headquarters of a terrorist… and killed a large number of terrorist called Daesh”. This is the only source to report that members of Daesh were killed.

All other source have reported that “a family of 6 people [died[ as a result of the targeting of their house in the town of Marat in the eastern suburb of Deir Al-Azur by the warplanes”.

Four children, a woman and a man were included in the death toll.

In their June 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.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Ibrahim Hassani Karim
Adult male killed
Shiraz Hassani Al-Karim
killed
Son of Ibrahim al-Hassani 1
Child male killed
Son of Ibrahim al-Hassani 2
Child male killed
Son of Ibrahim al-Hassani 3
Child male killed
The wife of Ibrahim al-Hassani
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 11
  • (4 children1 woman1 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
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ 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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

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
    37SFV126085
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020

  • June 15, 2017, in Marat, 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. 3115/CS1105a 37SFV126085

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 11
  • (4 children1 woman1 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
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS069

Incident date

May 20, 2015

Location

التوامة, Tawama, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19327, 36.80928 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Al Jazeera and others, a Coalition strike on the al Nusra Front at al Tawama destroyed a number of civilian buildings, killing as many as seven inhabitants. Fifteen alleged militants – most described as ‘Turks’ – also died in the attack which reportedly struck two separate locations in the village. According to Sana Revolution, an additional four civilians also died at the second location.

However SN4HR reported only one civilian fatality, that of a 9-year old girl who was the niece of al-Nusra commander Bader al Dakas who later described her death: “My niece and my sister were staying with me in the house. Most of the time we’re not in the house, we’re on the battlefield so this is considered a civilian house. She was hit by shrapnel and was killed yesterday around six in the evening. She was on the roof when it happened and she was martyred. She was 9 years old.”

According to al Watan “Witnesses from the village reported that a plane believed to be an F-16, flew over head for more than a quarter of an hour, before carrying out two consecutive raids on Al-Nusra Front’s base.”

On May 22, 2015, only two days after the alleged incident, a Coalition spokesperson confirmed to Airwars that it had “conducted airstrikes against terrorist compounds near the village of Al Tawama, Syria, May 20.” However, they declined to say whether any specific investigation into alleged civilian casualties was underway. On May 24, 2016 the Coalition again confirmed the Tawama strike in a public statement and added, “there were no observed women, children or non-combatants in the compounds at the time“. To date, Airwars has seen no record of an investigation either by the Coalition or CENTCOM. We remain unclear as to why.

The incident occured at approximately 6:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

niece of al-Nusra commander Bader al Dakas
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Scene of a May 20 alleged airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at , Syria (SNN)
  • Scene of a May 20 alleged airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at , Syria (SNN)
  • Scene of a May 20 alleged airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at , Syria (SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Badr al Nakas' niece, the only named victim of a Coalition strike on May 20th (via SN4HR)
    Badr al Nakas' niece, the only named victim of a Coalition strike on May 20th (via SN4HR)

Geolocation notes (6) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tawama (التوامة), of which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 36.19327, 36.80928. Satellite imagery from April 2016, taken 10 months after the incident, shows visible structural damage in the area, in comparison to satellite imagery taken prior to the incident. In addition, using Google Earth Terrain ground view, Airwars was able to geolocate images provided by media, further verifying the location of the incident.

  • The village of Tawama (التوامة), showing visible structural damage (left: 26 August, 2014; right: 29 April, 2016)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • East of the village of Tawama (التوامة), showing visible structural damage (left: 26 August, 2014; right: 29 April, 2016)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • West of the village of Tawama (التوامة), showing visible structural damage (left: 26 August, 2014; right: 29 April, 2016)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Google Earth ground view matches the image (camera facing South West, late afternoon to early evening)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Google Earth ground view matches the image (camera facing South West, late afternoon to early evening)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Geolocation based on the matching Google Earth ground view

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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

Although daily reports only referred to a strike “near Aleppo” the coalition has since told Airwars that it did conduct a strike at the specific location: “We can confirm the coalition conducted airstrikes against terrorist compounds near the village of Al Tawama, Syria, May 20.” [email to Airwars, May 22 2015.]

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS740

Incident date

April 27, 2017

Location

حي الرميلة, Rumaila, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9653, 39.02994 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eleven civilians were killed in Coalition airstrikes in Raqqa in the northern district of Rumaila, a number of local sources reported.

According to Al Araby and the Revolutionary Forces of Syria’s media office, the strikes took place “near the headquarters of al-Hesba” – the base of ISIL’s religious police.

The same two sources said a “drone” or an “unmanned aircraft” carried out the strikes.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently also reported a drone strike but didn’t identify the culprit.

According to Raqqa Truth, Mr al-Hussein had been arrested and was being held by ISIL’s religious police. He was from the al-Mashlab district.

A later report by Raqaa is Being Slaughtered Silently put the death toll at 11, stating that the prisoners “were arrested for dress code violations and other violations of Daesh’s rules. In the raid several members of ISIS were also killed.

In its April 26th 2018 civilian casualty report, the Coalition conceded that it had killed 11 civilians in this strike: ”During a Coalition strike on an ISIS headquarters building 11 civilians were unintentionally killed.” The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salal Shawakh Al-Muftah
Age unknown male killed
Ayham Abd al-Hamid al-Hussein
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Salal Shawakh Al-Muftah, killed in an allegd Coalition airstrike on Rumalia, April 27th (via Raqqa Truth)
  • Ayham Abd al Hamid al Husseiin al Ibrahim killed in a Coalition airstrike on Rumalia, April 27th (via AL Ragga Truth)

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest neighbourhood/area at 35.959444, 39.0325

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    11
  • Stated location
    near Rumaila, Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV027801
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 2018

  • April 27, 2017 near Rumaila, Raqqah, Syria via Airwars report. During a coalition strike on an ISIS headquarters building 11 civilians were unintentionally killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 26th-27th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, four strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a front-end loader, a fighting position, and a mortar team.”
For April 27th-28th: “Near Raqqah, two strikes destroyed a command and control node and a front-end loader.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS982

Incident date

June 14, 2017

Location

نهر الفرات, Ar Raqqah: Euphrates river, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.932126, 39.006111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eleven civilians including a family of three were reportedly killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike near the town of Ziban, to the south of Raqqa city.

The civilians were reportedly crossing the Euphrates River in small boats in order to flee the violence at Raqqa, when they were hit in the alleged strikes. A number of people were also reportedly injured.

Four sources – Baladi News, 24Raqqa, Syrian Press Center and Shaam News Agency – alleged that the Coalition was responsible, whereas the remainder of the sources did not apportion blame.

Syria News Desk included the following report: “Local media activist Mohammed Othman added that 11 civilians were killed and three others, all from one family, were injured following two raids by the International Coalition targeting water boats on the Euphrates River as they tried to leave the city towards the southern countryside. The source said that among the dead were four children and two women who died drowning as a result of the damage of boats carrying them, while escaped three young men arrived on the other bank of the river Euphrates injured.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Hameed Al-Awad.
Adult male "a young engineer" killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 11
  • (4 children3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (12) [ 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 Ziban, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU377757
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 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 June 13th-14th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 20 strikes engaged 14 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 12 fighting positions, five vehicles, five ISIS boats, two VBIEDs, a recoilless rifle, a command and control node, and a tunnel; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.” It additionally reported that “On June 13, near Raqqah, Syria, 10 strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and a sniper and destroyed a fighting position, a tunnel, an ISIS headquarters, a weapons cache, a vehicle, and a VBIED.”

For June 14th-15th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 11 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine fighting positions, three ISIS boats, and a vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 11
  • (4 children3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1745

Incident date

April 17, 2018

Location

Al Sarajiya village near Abu Hamda, Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

35.993563, 40.994453 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported on the deaths of up to eleven civilians as a result of strikes carried out by Coalition helicopters in an area east of the city of Al Shadadi.

According to Euphrates Post “a massacre” took place after a bombardment on a prison in the town of Abu Hamda. The report put the initial civilian death toll at eleven. The media outlet also stated that US helicopters carried out “landing attempts” – as did most other sources. All reports blamed the Coalition for the casualties.

An Al Khabout correspondent quoted sources from inside the villages, who confirmed that an “Apache aircraft” used “heavy machine guns” to target an ISIS HQ which resulted in “martyrs and wounded among the villagers”. The same sources stated that Coalition forces arrested four people who were allegedly taken to the US base in the city of Shaddadi.

The report of Coalition bombardments on a prison was reiterated by Zamanalwasl and Al Jisr TV. However, both media outlets stated that 8 civilians were killed and a number of others injured in the village of al Sarajiya, east of Abu Hamda.

The lowest fatal tally, 3, was reported by the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

The incident was first reported on April 17, 2018 at 3:00 pm by .

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 11
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the area of Abu Hamda (أبو حامضة), Hasakah governorate, for which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 35.993563, 40.994453 (or according to the Military Grid Reference System: 37S FV 78). 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
    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 Al-Sarajiya Village, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 26, 2018

  • April 17, 2018, near Al-Sarajiya Village, Syria, via Airwars. 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

For April 17th, the Coalition did not publicly report any strikes in the Hasakah governorate.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 11
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS411

Incident date

December 11, 2016

Location

خشام, Khusham, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.35077, 40.36689 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eleven civilians died in a Coalition airstrike which at the time was also blamed on Russia and the Assad regime. However the Coalition has confirmed striking oil installations and tankers in the vicinity on this date, and killing five drivers.

According to Ara News, “Unidentified warplanes shelling oil refineries in Badeyet Kisham killed 10 workers and wounded 15. The number of death is likely to rise due to the seriousness of some injuries.” Baladi News placed the initial death toll at 6, again citing unidentified warplanes.

The FSA and Daral Akhbar blamed Russia, while the Syrian Network said the regime was responsible, as did Syrian Newsdesk which reported: “Seven civilians were killed, including three children, and 15 others wounded yesterday evening, due to regime warplanes targeting with four raids the town of Khisham which is under the control of the organization of the Islamic state east of Deir al-Zour city.”

Shaam News initially blamed Russia, but later said the Coalition was responsible for 11 civilians killed. Syrian PC also reported that “Coalition warplanes carried out raids in Badeyet Al kisham oil fields and killed 11 civilians – most are drivers and civilians who work in the industry – and wounded dozens. The death toll is likely to rise due to serious injuries.”

Deir Ezzor 24 named three victims.

The Coalition noted in February 2017 that the incident was still being assessed. On March 4th it confirmed responsibility: “Dec. 11, 2016, near Dayr Az Zayr, Syria, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS oil tanker trucks it is assessed that five civilians were unintentionally killed. After warning shots were fired truck drivers vacated their vehicles and moved a safe distance away. Aircraft engaged targets and following munition release five of the drivers returned to their vehicles and were killed by munition’s impact.”

In July 2019, the Coalition provided Airwars with coordinates for the event, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nour Al-Deen Sabah Al-Amash
Age unknown male killed
Ibrahim Ali Albadran
Age unknown male killed
Bassam Ramadan Al Saleh
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 11
  • (3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest village at 35.3020098, 40.2914143

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    Entered target area just prior to or after munition released
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    5
  • Stated location
    near Dayr Az Zayr, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV242128
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 4, 2017

  • Dec. 11, 2016, near Dayr Az Zayr, Syria, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS oil tanker trucks it is assessed that five civilians were unintentionally killed. After warning shots were fired truck drivers vacated their vehicles and moved a safe distance away. Aircraft engaged targets and following munition release five of the drivers returned to their vehicles and were killed by munition’s impact.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For December 10th-11th 2016, the Coalition publicly reported that “Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed five oil well heads, an oil storage tank, and an oil tanker truck.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 11
  • (3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI775

Incident date

June 20, 2017

Location

الموصل القديمة, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A local woman reported that eleven members of her family – mostly children – died in an airstrike on June 20th. Civil defence units sought to retrieve the bodies on June 29th with Mrs Mohammed in attendance.

Reporter Sam Kimball, who accompanied the recovery, incuded the following report: “Nadia Aziz Mohammed, 47, at left, watches as an excavator from #Mosul‘s Civil Defense team digs out the meters-deep rubble of her former home inside Mosul’s Old City, searching for bodies. Nadia lost 11 family members in an airstrike that pulverized her home, which she says was carried out just 9 days ago by Coalition air forces in an effort to kill an #ISIS fighter on the roof, a major and ongoing cause of civilian deaths in the battle. She fled Mosul in 2014 when #IslamicState fighters executed her husband, an #Iraq‘i military officer. Now she returns to her neighborhood, while the final shots are fired by Iraqi forces and ISIS fighters only 200 meters away, to claim the bodies of nieces, nephews, and cousins. “Why?! When they have such precise technology, why don’t they know they are striking a bedroom full or women and children?!”

A senior Coalition official informed Airwars on July 5th that “it is primarily Coalition aircraft conducting AIR strikes in Mosul. It has been a number of weeks since the Iraqis flew there.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (4 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 (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Nadia Aziz Mohammed looks on as Mosul civil defence officials search for the bodies of 11 family members, killed in a June 2017 airstrike (Photo by Sam Kimball. All rights reserved)
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
  • Mar 28, 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 June 19th-20th the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed 36 fighting positions, 10 medium machine guns, four rocket-propelled grenade systems, four mortar systems, a supply cache, a vehicle, and an anti-air artillery system; and damaged 12 fighting positions.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (4 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI560

Incident date

March 19, 2017

Location

حي التنك, Mosul, Tanak, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3364235, 43.0626297 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Amnesty International field researchers reported that 11 civilians died in a likely airstrike on al Tanak.

The following account was published: “Amnesty International interviewed witnesses about an explosion in al-Tenak neighbourhood on 20 March which they attributed to an air strike. The explosion caused two houses to collapse just off Street 20, killing 11 civilians. Witnesses told Amnesty International that the target was an IS flatbed truck with a mounted machine-gun, which had been parked outside the houses that were struck. It had driven off and moved to another area at least 40 minutes before the attack. One of the witnesses, a local resident called “Imad”, went to the scene of the explosion.

He told Amnesty International: “I know the people killed in those houses. They were simple people. They were working in construction. A painter decorator was killed in one house with his three children and his grandmother. In the other house a carpenter was killed along with his 30-year-old wife and their four children. All the children killed were between three and eight years old.”

This was not the only strike in the area targeting the IS vehicle, according to people displaced from the area. The vehicle had been moving around the neighbourhood for around 20 days during the period between 5 and 30 March 2017. Pro-government forces kept trying to hit it as it moved around, carrying out at least seven strikes on the neighbourhood and killing many more civilians – men, women and children. They told Amnesty International that pro-government forces did not succeed in hitting the truck.

Amnesty International was not able to verify whether the delivery system used in this series of attacks was a warplane or whether the same type of weapon was used in each attack. Whatever the weapons used in this case, it appears to be part of a pattern of attacks by pro-government forces using explosive weapons with wide area effects to try to strike highly mobile targets in densely populated areas of west Mosul. Such reckless tactics repeatedly claimed civilian lives and destroyed homes and civilian infrastructure. Based upon the information available, this attack appears to have been indiscriminate.”

A further unpublished Amnesty field report shared with Airwars states the following: “On 19 or 20 March, two houses were targeted in Hai Tenek / Nahwaran, 150 meters west of the Othman Bin Afan Mosque. It was around 4pm, and I was outside the house, just checking around the area. I didn’t hear the sound of the airplane, but both buildings were destroyed, so it must have been an airstrike [because of the extent of the damage]. 11 civilians were killed from the families staying in the two houses – one of the families was ‘Riyan‘. Mostly those killed were children. I saw the bodies in the rubble myself, and I tried to help dig them out.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (7 children)
  • 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]

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 18th-19th the Coalition noted: ” Near Mosul, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed 14 fighting positions, four vehicles, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, a medium machine gun, and an artillery system; damaged 14 supply routes; and suppressed five mortar teams and three ISIS tactical units.”

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
    11
  • (7 children)
  • 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