Anti ISIS Mosul campaign leads to hundreds of 'unnecessary' deaths - Amnesty

The Mosul campaign is leading to unnecessary and unwarranted civilian deaths, Amnesty International have claimed, saying the US-led coalition has not taken adequate precautions.

The human-rights group said hundreds of civilians have died this month alone with an 'alarming pattern' of air strikes destroying houses 'with entire families inside'.

A family trying to escape fighting between Iraqi forces and ISIS fighters cry on a street in Mosul, Iraq on February 28, 2017.Reuters

More than 280,000 civilians have fled the ISIS stronghold after the Iraqi government forces launched an offensive to recapture it five months ago.

But many more remain following government advice to stay put until their troops arrive.

The military assault is being backed by coalition air strikes aimed at ISIS outposts. But hundreds of civilians have been killed with one of deadliest leaving 150 dead in the Jadida district of western Mosul on 17 March.

The US-led coalition is investigating the incident and US chiefs have insisted they place the 'highest priority' on investigating claims of civilian deaths.

'There is no military force in the world that has proven more sensitive to civilian casualties,' US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said on Monday.

But Amnesty's inquiries have uncovered claims the strikes have hit civilian houses, killing hundreds.

In one case Hind Amir Ahmad, a 23-year-old woman, lost 11 relatives, including her parents, in a reported air strike in the east of the city on 13 December.

'We were sleeping when the house literally collapsed on us,' she told Amnesty, adding: 'We ran to my uncle's house nearby.'

She said later 'that house too was bombed and collapsed on us'.

She added: 'Almost everyone in the house was killed - 11 people. My cousin, two aunts and I were the only ones who survived.'

In another strike on 6 January, 16 were killed as three houses in a row were hit according to Amnesty. Survivors told the investigation they did not know of any ISIS fighters in the area so assumed the strike was from US-led forces.

'Did the government, the coalition think how to protect the civilians in this war? It doesn't seem so,' said Ahmed, a relative of the victims.

Donatella Rovera, who led the field investigations in Mosul, said the exent of deaths suggests coalition forces had 'failed to take adequate precautions'.

She said: 'The fact that Iraqi authorities repeatedly advised civilians to remain at home... indicates that coalition forces should have known that these strikes were likely to result in significant numbers of civilian casualties.

'Disproportionate attacks and indiscriminate attacks violate international humanitarian law and can constitute war crimes,' said Ms Rovera.