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Killings Database - Year 2005

 

 

 The Killing of Yussif Hassan Ibrahim

 

Background - Kirkuk, October 31st, 2005

 

November 2nd, 2005 - Findings

Report by the U.S. Department of the Army

 

“[…] On 31 October 05, I was appointed as the AR 15-6 Investigating Officer responsible for investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting of an Iraqi civilian on 31 October 05 in the city of Kirkuk by members of C Company, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment. I present these findings having interviewed the gunner who was directly responsible for the shooting, four soldiers from his platoon, and personally evaluating the incident site.

 

“Prior to movement from FOB Warrior [redacted] briefed the MNCI Rules of Engagement (ROE) to the convoy and [redacted] briefed the standards for Escalation of Force required for the uipcoming patrol. [redacted] briefed the ROE in accordance with CFLCC/MNCI smart cards. Prior to moving out, the patrol received an intelligence report stating to be on the lookout for a possible Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) in the form of a dark blue Opel. The convoy planned to travel to K1, meet with their IA counterpart company, and the[n] return to FOB Warrior.

 

“Upon completion of the mission at K1, the Charlie Company convoy began its movement back to FOB warrior at approximately 1645 traveling south along Route Dodge. The illumination was natural, given that there were no streetlights in the area. The vehicle in question, Bumper Number C14, was occupied with a crew from vehicle C16. Their vehicle was hit the previous day by an IED. It was the lead vehicle in the convoy. The crew of C16 consisted of the driver, [redacted], the TC, [redacted], the gunner, [redacted], the Platoon RTO, [redacted] and their interpreter, [redacted].

 

“During movement the convoy experienced some traffic vicinity of [redacted]. At this time [?] responded in accordance with one of their established TTPs by slowing down, flashing their lights and honking their horn. Both the driver and gunner motioned for the vehicles to pull off to the sides of the road. The local vehicles adhered, and began to pull of onto the shoulders of the two lane road. The shoulders of the road are at least one vehicle wide, allowing for more than enough room for traffic to shift over.

 

“Most of the vehicles in the oncoming lane pulled off on to the shoulder of the road. If they did not pull completely onto the shoulder, they at least stopped moving and turned on their blinkers. As vehicles were pulling off the road, [redacted] and [redacted], all observed a car attempting to bypass the others. While the bypassing car was four to five vehicles ahead of C16, they noticed that it was a dark colored Opel similar to the description given during the morning’s intelligence report. At the same time, another white vehicle swerved back onto the road and attempted to continue driving. [redacted] and [redacted] again signaled for these vehicles to pull off over off the road. [redacted], while standing up in the turret, signaled for both vehicles to pull over using a chem light that he was waving and by shouting at the vehicle. The white vehicle adhered and pulled back of[f] the road in front of the dark Opel, but the dark Opel never pulled off. Rather he continued towards C16 in what appeared to be a collision course. None of the C16 crew members were able to see any of the occupants of the oncoming vehicle. As the Opel continued on towards him, [redacted] continued to yell and then threw his chem light in the direction of the vehicle’s path. The Opel continued towards C16 and it was at this time that [redacted] charged his weapon and oriented at the vehicle[‘]s hood. The Opel still did not change its course and appeared to be accelerating. The vehicle continued closer and closer until finally [redacted] decided that the vehicle appeared to be getting too close and did not think it was going to stop. Though he had an M9 9mm pistol as an alterante weapon, [he] did not use it. Instead, at approximately 20 meters away, [redacted] fired a single round from his M2 at the dark Opel. It impacted high on the driver’s side windshield and hit the driver in his right shoulder. Although [redacted] had been communicating with the driver to continue to flash his lights and honk his horn and pull off to the side of the road, he never gave any command to the gunner regarding engaging the vehicle.

 

“The drivers name was Yussif Hassan Ibrahim; the other occupants of the car were his wife and two chldren. After engaging, C16 continued down the road for approximately two hundred meters when [redacted] called over his Icom radio to tell the convoy [t]hat they were turning around. When the HMMWV reached the now disabled vehicle, Yussif Hassan Ibrahim had already been taken out of the vehicle and moved approximately 20 meters away. Mr. Ibrahim was then taken to about 15m off the road to the 1/C/2-327 IN medic, [redacted] who administered First Aid. The bleeding was stopped, and at this time Mr. Ibrahim still had a pulse. He was then placed into a white civilian vehicle and was taken to Kirkuk General Hospital. At approximately 1925, the 2-327th IN CP received notice from [redacted] that Mr. Ibrahim had died as a result of his wounds. […]”

 

 

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