OM: Civilian casualties in the Mosul attack, but no prosecution soldiers

He wanted high penalties for the soldiers involved in the air raid that killed his wife and three -year -old daughter. « Those who prepared, carried out and involved were involved must be given the most possible punishment, » said Zeyad Thonnoon, researcher at the University of Mosul, two years ago against NRC.

In addition to his wife and daughter, another five other family members and acquaintances came after the attack on his flat on March 22, 2016. The Netherlands and his allies suspected a headquarters of Islamic State (IS), the terrorist organization that held large parts of Iraq in its grip at the time, but eventually driven out there by the international coalition. In reality there were two families in the flat. Zeyad was just outside during the attack, busy moving his family from the flat.

The chance that the punishment hoped for soldiers who were involved in the attack once came by is almost nil. The conclusions for the so -called facts investigation of the Public Prosecution Service were known on Friday to the incident about which NRC, NOS and Nieuwsuur reported in March 2023. Conclusion of the OM: Yes, seven citizens were probably killed as the three media reported at the time. And no, other than the Netherlands and the US always said there were no IS fighters. But there is also no gross negligence of the soldiers involved who would require criminal prosecution. The information with which the Dutch pilots were sent out was seven weeks old. Whether the Americans have ‘updated’ information in time shortly before the attack, could not find the OM.

Combination to and Defense

In their contacts in Iraq with witnesses, relatives and other stakeholders, the OM officers worked together with Defense officials. In the past two years, the ministry has also investigated the bloody incident in Mosul. « We combined this part of the research for practical reasons, not to tax relatives and witnesses too much with the same kind of questions, » says officer Niels Gerlsma, who was involved in the investigation. Many conversations were in Erbil, about 80 kilometers from Mosul. « In Erbil we had a suitable facility where we could speak witnesses and relatives, » said Gerlsma. The interpreter was called in by Defense.

Lawyer Liesbeth Zegveld, who held the State of the Netherlands on behalf of Zeyad Thonnoon and other relatives last year, calls the state of affairs ‘bizarre and embarrassing’. She says: « Defense and the Public Prosecution Service were two hands on a belly. There was no question of independence in the facts of the OM. »

Moreover, Zegveld says it has not known that Zeyad Thonnoon had a conversation with officials from both the OM and Defense in Erbil. « My client only told that during the conversation, without the meaning of it, he would probably have reported the State of the Netherlands on the spot. Zeyad would really like justice and punishment for those who did this to him. I would have liked him to advise him on this, but that was not possible now. »

Instructions for violence

The OM concludes in its facts that ‘not acted in violation of the applicable instructions or other criminal offenses have been committed. ”After all, it turned out, based on intelligence, that there was a lot of activity of IS terrorists in the flat. There would also have been documents from the terror organization in the flat. The Netherlands was therefore allowed to think that there was indeed a headquarters of IS located in the flat, according to the OM.

But how could it be that two families were wiped out in reality? The OM does not answer that question. However, it notes that the information about the building that was designated as an IS headquarters, and with which the Dutch pilots were sent on the road, dated from 1 February 2016, seven weeks before the attack. The flat was in an area where many citizens went in and out every day. Gerlsma says: « The current procedure was that this information was updated and verified until just before the attack. At the time, the Netherlands was allowed to trust that this actually happened. You work with allies for nothing. »

The OM is not sure whether the information has been updated. To check that, cooperation was required from the Americans who had supplied the information. He was asked through Defense, but not obtained.

Hawija

It would not be the first time that outdated or incomplete has contributed to a bloody outcome of a Dutch bombing for Iraqi citizens. In June 2015, at least 85 civilian casualties fell in Hawija after the Netherlands had bombed a bomb factory of the Islamic State in the Northern Iraqi city. A investigation committee Under the leadership of Minister of State Winnie Sorgdrager recently stated that there had been « no long -term and systematic investigation » in advance due to a lack of observation resources. Just as in the case of the Mosul incident, the US refused to give the Netherlands insight into the current events of the material with which Dutch F-16 pilots were sent to HaWija.

Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) wrote on Friday that his ministry will complete his own investigation into the incident in Mosul by the summer. Then it will also become clear whether his ministry provides compensation for victims such as Zeyad Thonnoon.

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