Russian Defense Ministry reports coalition's new airstrikes on residential areas in Iraq
According to the ministry, the coalition's aircraft hit densely populated towns near Mosul on October 31, while US warplanes delivered strikes against residential areas 20 km from Mosul on October 26
MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday reported new airstrikes on civilian residential areas in Iraq by the warplanes of the US-led coalition fighting against the Islamis state terrorist group (outlawed in Russia).
"The US continues to bombard the civilian dwelling areas in Mosul as well as in other settlements in Iraq's Nineveh Governorate," chief of the Main Operational Directorate of Russia’s General Staff Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoi told a briefing.
According to him, seen from a satellite image taken on October 15, there is a mosque and some private houses in front of it. While the image taken on October 30 shows the signs of a coalition airstrike that had targeted the building adjacent to the mosque. As a result of the airstrike, civilians in houses located less than 50 meters away from the airstrike target were wounded. The mosque was severely damaged.
Besides that, on October 31, the coalition bombarded densely populated quarters in the Bazwaya and Gogjali settlements, both located less than 15 kilometers east of Mosul.
"The slide proves that before the Iraqi government forces entered Gogjali, the civilian dwelling areas had suffered great damage as a result of the coalition airstrikes. There is one day difference between the left and the right images. The photo taken on November 1, shows homes ruined during the coalition’s airstrikes," Rudskoi indicated.
According to the ministry US warplanes delivered strikes against residential areas in downtown Hamam al-Elil 20 km from Mosul on October 26.
Moreover, a school building and some homes were damaged as a result of the US airstrikes on Iraq’s Mosul on October 24.
"The results of the strike can be seen on this slide. On a satellite image on the left, taken on October 24 before the airstrike, there is a school building as well as some homes while the image on the right shows the results of the airstrike. It is easy to see that the strike targeted the area close to the school building that was damaged by the blast wave," Rudskoi said.