Air strikes in Mosul targeting ISIS fighters are killing civilians, a UN spokeswoman said.
#ISIL has been on the run in East #Mosul; @CJTFOIR airstrikes destroyed over 100 ISIL boats/barges in the past few days; 153 since 17 Oct https://t.co/1HO1xyOMWx
— OIR Spokesman (@OIRSpox) January 24, 2017
While the UN said it’s hard to verify the casualty numbers, monitoring group Airwars said that since the airstrikes began on Oct. 17, between 294 and 350 civilians have been killed.
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“We have been receiving quite a lot of reports of civilian casualties caused by air strikes,” said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the UN human rights office, during a news briefing in Geneva, according to Reuters.
Cowardly ISIS terrorists fleeing Battle of Mosul blown up on boats in coalition airstrikes https://t.co/oLVD6FUCSb pic.twitter.com/FJmjt8u9y6
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 21, 2017
The reports seem credible, Shamdasani said, adding that “it is clear” that civilians are being killed.
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In an airstrike on Jan. 14 targeting a local ISIS leader in western Mosul, both the targeted home and the one adjacent to it collapsed in the attack, Business Insider reported. Nineteen people were killed and 11 wounded.
Assault on Mosul is one of largest urban military operation since WWII. @Airwars now as new data on airstrikes, artillery, helicopter fire. pic.twitter.com/HSV9yfOdMy
— Samuel Oakford (@samueloakford) January 20, 2017
Since October, there have been four incidents of coalition-caused strikes in Mosul that have caused at least 20 civilian deaths, according to Airwars.
The UN has previously confirmed that ISIS was using thousands of civilians – including women and children – as “human shields” in Mosul.
#Iraq | Airstrikes on #ISIS that tried to flee from east to west #Mosul in Rashidyia pic.twitter.com/xu1Vgrk7qQ
— Syria Today (@todayinsyria) January 18, 2017
The Iraqi government has taken complete control of eastern Mosul. Forces are preparing to push past the Tigris river into the city’s western side.
The UN is “racing” to prepare aid for civilians ahead of the battle for the west. Shamdasani said the military should take all possible steps to avoid civilian casualties.
“It needs to be weighed up whether the advantage that can be offered by the military attack outweighs the number of civilian casualties that are likely to be caused,” Shamdasani said, according to Reuters.
The US-led Coalition has fired more than 9,500 munitions during more than 419 airstrikes in and around #Mosul since October 17th.
— Samuel Oakford (@samueloakford) January 20, 2017
Military officials told Airwars that the U.S.-led coalition has deployed more than 9,500 munitions in 419 airstrikes.
A UN official suggested that civilians could make up half of the fatalities resulting from the combat in Mosul. ISIS fighters have killed civilians using IEDs, suicide bombs and snipers, the official said.
The coalition struck 90 ISIS watercraft in the last three days. https://t.co/IckBCpxVo8
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) January 21, 2017
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