[CENTCOM] Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Monthly Civilian Casualty Report

PRESS RELEASE | June 2, 2017
Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Monthly Civilian Casualty Report
CJTFOIR

June 2, 2017
Release # 20170602-02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — In the month of April, CJTF-OIR received 43 new reports of possible civilian casualties resulting from Coalition strikes in support of partnered force operations to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. During this period, the Coalition completed the assessment of 47 reports, of which 31 were assessed to be non-credible and 16 were assessed to be credible resulting in 132 unintentional civilian deaths. To date, based on information available, CJTF-OIR assesses that, it is more likely than not, at least 484 civilians have been unintentionally killed by Coalition strikes since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve. A total of 38 reports were still open and being assessed at the end of the month. Coalition strikes are defined as ground artillery or air strikes conducted as part of the Coalition Air Tasking Order.

CJTF-OIR takes all reports of civilian casualties seriously and assesses all reports as thoroughly as possible. Although we are unable to investigate all reports of possible civilian casualties using traditional investigative methods, such as interviewing witnesses and examining the site, the Coalition interviews pilots and other personnel involved in the targeting process, reviews strike and surveillance video if available, and analyzes information provided by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, partner forces, and traditional and social media. In addition, the Coalition considers new information when it becomes available in order to ensure a thorough and continuous review process.

To date, based on data between August 2014 and April 2017, the Coalition conducted a total of 21,035 strikes that included 44,330 separate engagements. During this period, the total number of reports of possible civilian casualties was 440. The total number of credible reports of civilian casualties during this time period was 118. The percent of engagements that resulted in a report of possible civilian casualties was .99%. The percent of engagements that resulted in a credible report of civilian casualties was .27%.

After a thorough review of the facts and circumstances of each civilian casualty report, CJTF-OIR assessed that the following 31 reports are non-credible. Non-credible means that at this time there is not sufficient information available to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.

1. Sept. 17, 2016, near Al Tabqah, Syria, via self-report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.

2. Dec. 20, 2016, near Al Tabqah, Syria, via NGO report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was approximately a kilometer away.

3. Feb. 14, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via social media report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.

4. Feb. 16, 2017, near Al Tabqah, Syria, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

5. Feb. 16, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via social media report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was 4 km away.

6. Feb. 17, 2017, near Al Tabqah, Syria, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

7. Feb. 20, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

8. Feb. 20, 2017, near Al Bab, Syria, via social media report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient information available to determine if civilians were present or harmed in this strike.

9. Feb. 20, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via social media report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.

10. Feb. 21, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in this geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

11. Feb. 23, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.

12. March 1, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

13. March 3, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

14. March 14, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was approximately a kilometer away.

15. March 17, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: The report contained insufficient information on the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

16. March 19, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: The report contained insufficient information on the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

17. March 26, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was 6 km away.

18. March 26, 2017, near Mosul, via self-report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.

19. March 28, 2017 near Al Tabqah, Syria, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was 7 km away.

20. March 28, 2017, near Maskanah, Syria, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

21. March 29, 2017, near Dayr Az Zayr, Syria, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was 17 km away.

22. April 3, 2017, near Tal Afar, Iraq, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

23. April 6, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

24. April 7, 2017, near Hunaydah, Syria, via social media: 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.

25. April 9, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq via social media: 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.

26. April 10, 2017, near Tashrin, Syria, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was 2 km away.

27. April 12, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media: 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.

28. April 12, 2017, near Annah, Iraq, via social media: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

29. April 12, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media: The report contained insufficient information on the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

30. April 15, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike.

31. April 16, 2017, near Annah, Iraq, via social media: The report contained insufficient information on the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Although the Coalition takes extraordinary efforts to strike military targets in a manner that minimizes the risk of civilian casualties, in some incidents casualties are unavoidable. Sixteen reports were assessed to be credible resulting in the unintentional death of 132 civilians.
A credible assessment means it is more likely than not a Coalition strike resulted in a civilian casualty. In each of the incidents below, 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 unfortunately occurred.
1. Jan. 31, 2017, near Dayr Az Zayr, Syria, via self-report: During a strike on ISIS construction equipment, after reviewing the post-strike video, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed when he entered the target area after the munition was released.

2. Feb. 25, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS VBIED, it was assessed that five civilians were unintentionally killed.

3. Feb. 25, 2017, near Raqqah Syria, via self-report: During a strike on ISIS oil tanker trucks, after warning shots were fired to dislodge drivers from the vehicles, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed.

4. Feb. 28, 2017, near Al Qaim, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS dump truck filled with VBIED material, after firing warning shots, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed and one injured when they entered the target area after the munition was released.

5. March 9, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike to crater roads used by ISIS VBIEDs against Iraqi Security Forces, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally injured when he entered the target area after the munition was released.

6. March 17, 2017, near Mosul Iraq, via media report: During a strike on ISIS snipers firing on partnered forces, 101 civilians were unintentionally killed when the munition struck the building igniting ISIS-planted explosives that destroyed the structure and killed an additional four civilians in an adjacent structure.

7. March 21, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on ISIS fighters, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed and three injured when they entered the target area after the munition was released.

8. March 21, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS mortar position firing on Iraqi Security Forces, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed when he entered the target area after the munition was released.

9. March 28, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike to crater roads used by ISIS VBIEDs against Iraqi Security Forces, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed when he entered the target area after the munition was released.

10. March 30, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS command and control node and VBIED staging position, it was assessed that two civilians were unintentionally killed when they entered the target area after the munition was released.

11. March 30, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS headquarters, it was assessed that two civilians were unintentionally killed when they entered the target area after the munition was released.

12. April 4, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS mortar team egressing their firing position, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed by a secondary explosion caused when the target vehicle was hit.

13. April 4, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on ISIS fighters in a moving vehicle, it was assessed that one civilian pedestrian was unintentionally killed when the vehicle was struck.

14. April 5, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS firing position, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed when his vehicle entered the target area after the munition was released.

15. April 8, 2017, near Tal Afar, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS VBIED factory, it was assessed that three civilians were unintentionally killed.

16. April 13, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS VBIED engaging Iraqi Security Forces, it was assessed that six civilians were unintentionally killed when a group of fleeing civilians entered the target area after the munition was released.

Currently, 38 reports of civilian casualties are still being assessed:
1. April 22, 2015, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report, re-opened due to new information being provided.

[CENTCOM] Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Monthly Civilian Casualty Report

Leave A Comment Cancel reply