Jason Ditz / AntiWar.com & Xinhua News & Margaret Griffis / AntiWar.com & Baseness English – 2017-06-04 01:21:25
US Airstrikes Hit Apartments in Raqqa, Kill 43 Civilians
Escalating US Strikes Lead to Soaring Civilian Toll
Jason Ditz / AntiWar.com
(June 3, 2017) — The civilian death toll of the US air war against ISIS continues to soar today, with the latest US strikes against the ISIS capital city of Raqqa leveled a large apartment building in the residential area of the city, killing at least 43 civilians and wounding many others.
US airstrikes killing dozens of civilians in Iraq or Syria have been nearly daily occurrences at this point, as officials continue to escalate the rate of strikes to try to “pressure” ISIS, and end up killing a soaring number of innocent bystanders.
As usual, the US has not publicly commented on today strike, nor indeed have they yet commented on destroying a hospital yesterday in the same part of Raqqa. Such incidents rarely make it into the official Pentagon list of civilian casualties in the two nations, which is usually around 10% of the actual death toll as calculated by private NGOs.
The US has made much of supporting the Kurdish YPG in a military offensive against Raqqa, but in recent weeks the strikes have rarely coincided with Kurdish offensives, and the large death toll raises growing concerns about US targeting policy in the war.
US-led Airstrikes Kill 43 Civilians in Syria’s Raqqa
Xinhua News
DAMASCUS (June 3, 2017) — US-led airstrikes targeted a residential building in Syria’s northern city of Raqqa, killing 43 civilians, state TV reported on Saturday. The airstrikes targeted the al-Jamili building in Raqqa, said the TV, adding that most of those killed were women and children.
The rate of civilian causalities by US-led airstrikes has increased recently as a result of the intensification of US airstrikes on Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) group, and other IS strongholds in northern and eastern Syria.
A day earlier, 20 civilians were killed when a US-led airstrike targeted residential buildings in Raqqa, including a hospital and a hotel.
Last Sunday, 20 civilians were killed by similar airstrikes in Raqqa.
Last Thursday, 35 civilians were killed by airstrikes on IS-held city of Mayadeen in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour.
The Syrian government has repeatedly denounced the attacks targeting civilians, branding the operation of the US-led anti-terror coalition in Syria as “illegitimate.”
Fleeing Civilians Targeted in Mosul;
202 Killed in Iraq
Margaret Griffis / AntiWar.com
(June 4, 2017) — Iraq is investigating allegations that security forces have used white phosphorus munitions in Mosul on Saturday. Many civilians were killed or wounded in recent strikes, but it is unclear if any of the casualties were due to the white phosphorus.
Iraq also warned media outlets from publishing or broadcasting images that may show white phosphorus in use. Coalition forces have been accused of using the substance, which is banned in civilian areas, in recent months.
Dozens of prisoners were liberated from an Islamic State jail west of Mosul. The men were kidnapped from various locations around Iraq.
At least 202 were killed and 261 were wounded:
* In Mosul, at least 120 civilians were killed in the last two days trying to flee the fighting.
* Seven children died of smoke inhalation in Shifa. One wounded civilian said that he saw as many as 250 civilians injured in the airstrike that also hurt him.
* Another 50 militants were killed in Sahha.
* Fifteen more were killed in Bab Sinjar. Three militants were killed near the New Mosul Stadium.
* Militants killed a soldier and wounded two more at an Abu Saida checkpoint.
* A bomb in Shamsia wounded five security personnel.
* Three people were wounded in a blast outside Balad Ruz.
* Gunmen in Mandali injured a woman and kidnapped her son.
* Six militants were killed in a strike on Hawija.
Seven Children Suffocated from Bombing Smoke in Mosul
Baseness English
ERBIL (June 6, 2017) — Seven children died from inhaling the heavy smoke of the extensive bombings in the Old Mosul City on Saturday, Iraqi media reported.
A source from a hospital in Mosul was quoted in the reports as saying the children suffocated in Shifa neighborhood in western Mosul.
Due to lack of hospitals and medical centers in the areas overwhelmed by the smoke, the children could not be saved, according to the source.
Extensive bombing and confrontations were reported today to have occurred between the Islamic State (IS) militants and the Iraqi and international forces in Mosul’s old neighborhoods.
The IS militants set several houses on fire to take advantage of the smoke and shield themselves against airstrikes.
Also today sorts of heavy weaponry were fired by both parties to the battle and Iraqi forces could destroy more than 13 VBIED in the Old Mosul City.
The narrow lanes of the area and the presence of the tens of thousands of civilians who are used as human shields by the besieged Islamic jihadists have slowed the progress of the Iraqi forces.
Iraqi army officials claim it takes only a few more days for them to completely liberate Mosul.
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