Al-Jazeera: tens more of civilian died in new western Mosul strikes
Smoke rises during a battle with Islamic State militants in western Mosul. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
The network quoted sources in Mosul saying that tens of civilians died in air and artillery bombardment by security forces at Rajm al-Hadid district a week earlier, adding that the area has been witnessing intense encounters between U.S.-backed Iraqi troops and IS militants.
The sources said tens of civilians’ corpses were found at the neighborhood as security troops took over it. Al-Jazeera quoted municipal sources, who asked not to be named, that the death toll in Rajm al-Hadid could surpass 100 people, mostly still under debris.
The Iraqi and coalition commands have not responded to the report yet.
Last week, the Pentagon said it was going to investigate reports that its airstrikes against IS in western Mosul had killed more than 200 civilians in Mosul al-Jadida district. It said on Saturday that only four civilians died in Iraq and Syria in operations by the U.S.-led international coalition, adding that a total of 229 died “unintentionally” since 2014.
On Saturday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) said 1115 were killed and wounded in Iraq due to violence during March, with Nineveh province, which includes Mosul, coming on top of the chart in terms of casualties.
Iraqi forces recaptured eastern Mosul from IS in January after three months of fighting, and has been sweeping through the western region since mid February.