US-led raid on Mosul ‘killed 200 civilians’

By in Beirut MORE than 200 civilians are reported to have been killed in a single US-led coalition raid on Mosul, as the United Nations warned the worst was yet to come for those still trapped in the Iraqi city.

Some 230 bodies of mostly women and children were pulled from three adjoining houses in the Jadida neighbourhood of west Mosul overnight Wednesday and yesterday morning, accord- ing to witnesses. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) had taken over the buildings to use as sniper positions and had been holding civilians there, for use as human shields.

The trapped residents had reportedly been without food and water for four days. “We asked them to rescue the people, but received no response,” said a resident, who passed the information to the Iraqi army. He said Isil let off a car bomb before the coalition air strike hit.