CENTCOM Confirms Civilian Deaths in US Strikes

Two civilians were killed and four more injured by US airstrikes in Iraq and Syria between July 4, 2015, and July 17, 2015, according to the results of five US Central Command investigations into civilian casualties, released on Jan. 22. The strikes investigated include a July 4 strike against 16 ISIS bridges near Ar Raqqah, Syria, where one civilian in a truck with a trailer was likely killed; a July 7 strike near Raqqah against ISIS fighters, where a civilian was injured by a secondary explosion and flying debris; a July 8 strike near Sarmada, Syria, against Khorasan Group Leader Muhsin al-Fadhli, where two civilians on? a motorcycle were likely injured; a July 11 strike near Raqqah against ISIS where a post-strike review showed a secondary explosion from a vehicle crossing a bridge near the intended target likely killed one civilian; and July 17 strikes near Mosul, Iraq, against ISIS fighters in a vehicle, which likely injured a civilian. CENTCOM did not say what aircraft conducted the strikes. So far in Operation Inherent Resolve, CENTCOM has confirmed and publicly announced 16 civilians likely killed by coalition strikes and nine civilian injuries, command spokesman Air Force Col. Patrick Ryder said Jan 22. The command has received 120 allegations of civilian casualties, but 87 of those have been deemed not credible, Ryder said. Fourteen allegations remain open—nine are pending credibility assessments, five are under investigation, and 19 more investigations are closed. (See also: Investigation Finds Civilian Casualties in Airstrike.)