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US air strike on IS killed 105 civilians in Iraq's Mosul | US air strike on IS killed 105 civilians in Iraq's Mosul |
(35 minutes later) | |
The United States has admitted that at least 105 Iraqi civilians were killed in an air strike it carried out in Mosul in March. | The United States has admitted that at least 105 Iraqi civilians were killed in an air strike it carried out in Mosul in March. |
US Central Command (CentCom) said it had targeted two snipers from so-called Islamic State (IS) with what it called a "precision-guided munition". | |
However, the strike detonated explosives that militants had placed in the building, CentCom said. | However, the strike detonated explosives that militants had placed in the building, CentCom said. |
Civilians sheltering in the lower floors were killed when it collapsed. | Civilians sheltering in the lower floors were killed when it collapsed. |
CentCom said the death toll included four civilians in another nearby structure. | CentCom said the death toll included four civilians in another nearby structure. |
Eyewitnesses claimed another 36 non-combatants were also in the building, but US authorities said it had "insufficient evidence to determine their status". | Eyewitnesses claimed another 36 non-combatants were also in the building, but US authorities said it had "insufficient evidence to determine their status". |
CentCom previously said the planes had acted at the request of Iraqi security forces, as coalition forces attempted to wrest control of the city from IS. | CentCom previously said the planes had acted at the request of Iraqi security forces, as coalition forces attempted to wrest control of the city from IS. |
The civilians had gathered in the lower floors of the building after being expelled from their homes by IS fighters, a declassified summary of the report said. | |
Those organising the strike "could not have predicted the presence of civilians in the structure prior to the engagement," it added. | |
US officials said the type of bomb was chosen "to minimise collateral damage," but the explosives hidden by IS were at least four times more powerful than the weapon itself. | |
"Our condolences go out to all those that were affected," Major General Joe Martin said in a statement. | |
"The coalition takes every feasible measure to protect civilians from harm." | |
Initial media reports had placed the casualty estimates as high as 200. | Initial media reports had placed the casualty estimates as high as 200. |
Hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled the northern Iraqi city as the operation to reclaim it has continued. | Hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled the northern Iraqi city as the operation to reclaim it has continued. |
Thousands of Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen, assisted by US-led coalition warplanes and military advisers, are involved in the offensive, which was launched in October 2016. | Thousands of Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen, assisted by US-led coalition warplanes and military advisers, are involved in the offensive, which was launched in October 2016. |
The government announced the full "liberation" of eastern Mosul in January 2017. But the west of the city has presented a more difficult challenge, with its narrow, winding streets. | |
Iraq has also opened an inquiry into claims that its forces abused and killed civilians in the battle for the city. |