Iraq probes reports of civilian deaths in Mosul

İstanbul, Mar 27 (DHA) – Iraq is investigating air strikes in west Mosul that reportedly killed large numbers of civilians in recent days, a military spokesman said on Sunday.
Iraqi officials and witnesses said that air strikes killed civilians in the Mosul al-Jadida area in recent days, but the number of victims -- said to range from dozens to hundreds -- could not be independently confirmed.
Iraqi’s military, meanwhile, said on Sunday, 61 bodies were recovered from a collapsed building that IS boobytrapped in west Mosul, but there was no sign it had been hit by a coalition strike although a large vehicle bomb was discovered nearby.
The U.S.-led coalition backing Iraqi forces on Saturday said it carried out a strike on IS militants and equipment in the area of the reported deaths, but it was still investigating. It did not give figures for any casualties or details on targets.
The Iraqi military command said witnesses had told troops that the building was boobytrapped and militants had forced residents inside basements to use them as human shields. IS militants had also fired on troops from houses, it said.
A coalition air strike had hit the area, but a military team had not found any sign the collapsed building had been hit.
“A team of military experts from field commanders checked the building where the media reported that the house was completely destroyed. All walls were booby-trapped and there is no hole that indicates an air strike,” it said.
“Sixty-one bodies were evacuated,” the statement said.