Nearly 300 died in Mosul airstrike, making it one of deadliest

IRBIL, Iraq — Iraqi officials said Wednesday that they had removed nearly 300 bodies from the site of an apparent airstrike in west Mosul, the largest civilian death toll since the battle against the Islamic State group began more than two years ago and among the deadliest incidents in decades of modern warfare.

More bodies were being removed Wednesday as the U.S.led coalition investigated whether it was responsible, Iraqi officials blamed IS, and the injured continued to suffer.

The attack came after government officials urged residents at the start of the Oct. 17 offensive to stay in their homes. Responsibility for the deaths has been disputed, as has the number killed.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the top U.S. general commanding the fight against IS in Iraq and Syria, said there was “at least a fair chance” that the U.S.-led coalition was responsible for the strike, but if so, it was “an unintentional accident of war.”

The coalition has not released an estimated death toll. It is still investigating, with results expected by month’s end, said U.S. Army Col. Joe Scrocca, a Baghdad-based spokesman for the coalition.

As of Wednesday, officials had removed 278 bodies, said Civil Defense Lt. Col. Taha Ali. But Sabah Numan, a spokesman for the Iraqi counterterrorism service, noted that an expert investigative team found walls in the neighborhood had been booby trapped by militants, who used civilians as human shields.

The Iraqi officials’ death toll came at a busy time for U.S. foreign policy.

Terse on North Korea

The response of America’s chief diplomat to North Korea’s latest failed missile launch was an abrupt departure from the usual.

The statement from U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson totaled 23 words: “North Korea launched yet another intermediate range ballistic missile. The United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment.”

North Korea with its missile launches probably wants to create attention and use it as leverage for concessions, but Mr. Tillerson with his statement has sent a stern message that the United States won’t be a party to it, South Korean experts said.

No golfing

For the second time, Mr. Trump will welcome a world leader to the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

But unlike when Mr. Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in February, there will be no golf during Mr. Xi’s 24-hour visit Thursday and Friday, a senior administration official said. It’s the perception, analysts suggest.

Full border wall?

John Kelly, the homeland security secretary, told senators on the Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday that it was doubtful that a wall along the full border with Mexico would ever be built, despite an oft-repeated campaign promise by Mr. Trump to build a “big beautiful wall.”

Mr. Kelly also said that parents and children caught crossing the Mexican border illegally generally won’t be separated.