Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI232

Incident date

April 22, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Al-Malyia, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3427151, 43.1594467 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four families comprising 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the Al-Maliya district east of Mosul in a strike by the international coalition, according to a senior medical source in Nineveh quoted by NINA.

In a rarely named citation, Director of the Emergency General Hospital in Mosul Dr Mahdi al-Rubaie told the National Iraqi News Agency that “the international coalition bombed a Daesh site resulting in the martyrdom of four families east of Mosul.”

NINA noted that Dr al-Rubaie added that the bodies of “36 civilians, including 17 women and 11 children arrived at the forensic medicine in Mosul at dawn today.”

In what may be a linked event, MNN reported the death of an internally displaced woman from Salahudin province, killed after a Coalition strike in the Agriculture neighbourhood.

In its July 2017 report the Coalition classed the event as non credible based on available evidence of civilian harm: “April 22, 2016, near Mosul, 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.”

Given the named source, Airwars continues to assess this as a likely event – and has requested additional clarification from the Coalition.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    36 – 37
  • (11 children17–18 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (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

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 reports for April 21st-22nd 2016 that “Near Mosul, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL assembly area, and three ISIL supply caches and suppressed two separate ISIL fighting positions.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    36 – 37
  • (11 children17–18 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS204

Incident date

April 21, 2016

Location

البوكمال, Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.466049, 40.907593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least four and up to ten members of one family were reported killed in alleged Coalition (or possibly Russian) night time strikes on Abu Kamal.

According to the Deir Ezor Observatory there were three Coalition strikes on the city, all after midnight. And News of the Revolution reported that “International coalition planes last night carried out four raids targeting the cement factory, the Krash factory, al Sina’a [industrial area], al Hizam Al Akhdar [the green belt], and there is news of the martyrdom of an entire family.”

Free Deir Ezzor Broadcast named the victims, but said the attack was by Russia: “Khamees Said al Matar and nine members of his family were killed after warplanes targeted their house last night. The house was totally destroyed.” However the Coalition has confirmed carrying out strikes in the vicinity. The Syrian Network placed the Coalition death toll at four civilans, which it said included a woman.

The Syrian Network put the death toll at four, also naming Khamis Al Sayed Matar as well as Saeed Khamis Al Matar.

Responding to a request for clarification about possible involvement given declared UK strikes near Abu Kamal that day, the MoD told Airwars: “We cannot make any definitive assessment of possible UK presence from the evidence you have provided, but I can confirm that there was no indication of any civilian casualties in our own detailed assessments of the impact of each of our strikes over the period concerned.”

In its July 2017 monthly report the Coalition added that no civilians were harmed in the strike: “April 21, 2016, near Abu Kamal, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

Based on available reports from the time, Airwars continues to class this event as fair.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khamis Al Sayed Matar
Age unknown male killed
Saeed Khamis Al Matar
Age unknown male killed
Khamees Said al Matar
Age unknown male nine members of his family were killed after warplanes targeted their house killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 10
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Saeed Khamis Al Matar (via SNHR)
  • Khamis Al Sayed Matar (via SNHR)
  • Translation: Coalition planes target with several raids IS positions and machinery in al Boukamal eastern Deir Ezzor.
  • Translation: Internatiopnal coalition planes target with three raids IS positions in al Boukamal after mid night last night.
  • Translation: International coalition planes carried out last night 4 raids targeting the cement factory, the Krash factory, al Sina’a [industrial area], al Hizam Al Akhdar [the green belt] and there are news about the martyrdom of an entire family. (via Abumosa111)
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 Abu Kamal, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017

  • After a review of available information 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 reports for April 21st-22nd 2016 that “Near Abu Kamal, two strikes struck an ISIL bed down location and an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility.“

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

[On April 21, two patrols, composed of 2 and 4 Mirage 2000D, respectively destroyed an oil infrastructure used for military purposes in the Abu Kamal region of Syria.]

‘2 frappes planifiées ont été conduites en Syrie Le 21 avril, deux patrouilles, composées de 2 et 4 Mirage 2000D, ont respectivement détruit dans la région d’Abu Kamal une infrastructure pétrolière utilisée à des fins militaires et une caserne.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 10
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI231

Incident date

April 20, 2016

Location

الموصل, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

An alleged Coalition airstrike on a bank in Faisaliah reportedly killed six students and injured a further eight civilians.

According to NINA, “The international Coalition bombed on Thursday [April 21st] the Um Al- Rabiein bank in the Al Faisaliah area in the north of Mosul, which led to the martyrdom of six students who were in the nearby bank and wounding eight others.”

Local blogger Salam Hamdoon claimed the strike took place at 10 am during peak time when the area was crowded with civilians.

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF339240
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • April 20, 2016, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2947/CI231 38SLF339240

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports for April 19th-20th 2016 that “Near Mosul, nine strikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL-used power plant, and four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas, three ISIL supply caches, an ISIL mortar system, and two ISIL vehicles and denied ISIL access to terrain.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI230

Incident date

April 20, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

An alleged Coalition airstrike on a neighbourhood in eastern Mosul also reportedly killed an entire family.

According to NRN News, “Our correspondent said that the bombing was aimed at the home district council of Mosul by Zuhair al-Jubouri in a neighbourhood used by Daesh. But the rocket landed on the house next door, killing five people consisting of family.”

Local blogger Souad al Azzawi published a photo he said was of the destroyed house in which a mother and four children died. MNN said the children were all girls. And Mosul Eye said a home belonging to the owner of a nearby pharmacy was destroyed.

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • 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]

  • A photo reveals the destroyed house in which a woman and four children were reportedly killed following an alleged Coalition airstrike in Mosul on Wednesday, April 20th 2016 (via Souad Al-Azzawi)

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
    38SLF293239
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • April 20, 2016, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2946/CI230 38SLF293239

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports for April 19th-20th 2016 that “Near Mosul, nine strikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL-used power plant, and four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas, three ISIL supply caches, an ISIL mortar system, and two ISIL vehicles and denied ISIL access to terrain.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • 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

CS203

Incident date

April 19, 2016

Location

الثورة‎, Al-Thawrah (Tabaqah), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two named civilians were reported killed and others injured after an alleged Coalition strike at Al Tabaqah.

One of those killed has been named as Abd al Mahayman Abd al Tawwab al Radwan, from Deir Ezzor.

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abd al Mahayman Abd al Tawwab al Radwan
Age unknown male From Deir Ezzor killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: #Al Raqqa: two martyrs and a number of wounded in an international coalition raid on the town of #Al Tabaqa

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
    37SDV580651
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • April 19, 2016, in Al Tabaqah, 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. 2950/CS203 37SDV580651

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 18th-19th the Coalition reports that “Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI226

Incident date

April 16, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Several local sources reported that a man was killed along with his wife and child in an airstrike on a vehicle in the Hadbah or officers’ neighbourhood of eastern Mosul.

A local tweet reported: “Martyrdom of Engineer Mustafa and his family by aerial bombing which targeted his car in the Hadbah neighbourhood in Mosul. Nothing was found of their bodies. They have never been connected with Daesh.”

In the third of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that 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)

Engineer Mustafa‘
Adult male (via @sonawa1) killed
The wife of Engineer Mustafa‘
Adult female (via @sonawa1) killed
The child of Engineer Mustafa
Age unknown (via @sonawa1) killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ 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
    38SLF343230
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 14, 2020

  • Apr. 16, 2016, in 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. 2941/CI226 38SLF343230

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports that for April 16th-17th 2016: “Near Mosul, six strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, four ISIL assembly areas, and three ISIL vehicles.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI225

Incident date

April 16, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Multiple local sources reported that one civilian was killed and four injured after an oil refinery in northern Mosul was hit by allegedly Coalition aircraft.

One source described the civilians as the ‘owners’ of the refinery.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (4) [ 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

The Coalition reports for April 15th-16th 2016 that “Near Mosul, four strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, 14 ISIL modular oil refineries, and two ISIL crude oil stills and destroyed an ISIL assembly area and 10 ISIL boats.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM051-C

Incident date

April 11, 2016

Location

1.2 km east of Yontoy, Lower Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

-0.117661, 42.575190 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reportedly killed in a US drone strike in Lower Juba.

The attack began late on April 11 and continued into the small hour of April 12, Lt Col Michelle Baldanza of AFRICOM later said in a statement. The camp “posed an imminent threat to US personnel,” she said.

Somali officials allege the village was being used as a staging post for al Shabaab attacks. One unnamed “high-ranking security official” told Voice of America the al Shabaab fighters were seen making “some movements” before the drone attack started.

There were however reports of civilian casualties, with both a local Somali journalist and Voice of America’s Somali service reporting that the attacks killed eight people. Five of the dead were al Shabaab and three were civilians, according to witnesses and Somali officials. They said the strike hit the al Shabaab-controlled village of Yontyo in Lower Juba, 24km north of Kismayo.

There were reports in the week following the attack that civilians were “fleeing towards the countryside and other towns in lower Jubba region of southern Somalia for their safety, leaving behind their herds of goats dead in the airstrikes”.

In an email to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in 2016, Lt Col Baldanza denied civilians were killed: “We have no reports of civilian casualties from these strikes. We have significant mitigation measures in place during the conduct of operations to reduce the potential risks of collateral damage and civilian casualties.”

However, a declassified AFRICOM civilian harm review for Somalia, obtained by US investigative reporter Nick Turse in July 2019, found that the US military command was both alerted to the event and had assessed for civilian harm in July 2018. This insisted that “The targeted group was in an open area. displaying weapons, and not otherwise located in a place or group that would include civilians.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–15

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Tweet reporting on the incident
  • The same source reporting civilian harm

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that the strikes targeted the area 1.2 kilometers east of the village of Yontoy, north of Kismayo. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The coordinates for the area 1.2 kilometers east of the village Yontoy are: -0.117661, 42.575190.

  • 1.2 kilometers area around the village Yontoy, marked in red

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces 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

Civilian casualty statements

US Forces
  • Jul 16, 2018

  • [Statement obtained via FOIA by Nick Turse in July 2019] On 25JUN18, New America reporter, David Sterman, contacted USAFRICOM PAO to inquire about a CIVCAS allegation concerning a strike IVO Yoontoy, Somalia on 11APR16. The allegation was featured in a Voice of America (VOA) news report on 12APR16 and in Chinese media reporting on 13APR16. Voice of America ("VOA") stated that "Witnesses and officials told VOA's Somali service that five militants and three civilians were killed in the airstrikes, which hit the al- Shabaab controlled village of Yontoy in Somalia's Lower Juba region." Xinhua (Chinese Media) claimed that recent U.S. airstrikes near Kismayo, Somalia resulted in the deaths of eight people. Their source, an unnamed local resident, said the death toll included five al-Shabaab militants and three civilians, one of whom was claimed to be a woman. N0T/NOT CREDIBLE: This incident occurred prior to the USAFRICOM CIVCAS SOP implementation; however, (USAFRICOM CCDR) was aware of the CIVCAS allegation and no further action was recommended or directed. 15 persons were observed at a known al-Shabaab bed-down location, during the day of the operation. The engagements occurred over 1.2 km to the east of the closest town and on the opposite side of a river. The targeted group was in an open area, displaying weapons, and not otherwise located in a place or group that would include civilians. The strike occurred in the context of an assisted partner force operation in the area, where partner forces came under fire from hostile forces.

Original strike reports

US Forces

In the late evening of 11 April and early morning of April 12 the US conducted self-defense fires against an al Shabaab camp in southern‎ Somalia which posed an imminent threat to US personnel.US forces are working closely with partner forces to combat al‎ Shabaab in Somalia. Al Shabaab has pledged allegiance to al Qaeda and continues to use its safe havens throughout Somalia to plot attacks against US citizens and interests in East Africa, as well as against our international partners in the region.The US is committed to supporting Somali and [Amisom] forces as they combat al Shabaab and work to bring stability to the region.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–15

Sources (8) [ collapse]