Netherlands apologizes for 2015 Hawija, Iraq bombing that killed at least 70 civilians

Nearly a decade after an airstrike from a Dutch F-16 hit a bomb factory in Hawija, Iraq, causing a massive explosion that killed at least 70 civilians, the Netherlands has decided to issue a formal apology. An investigation released earlier this year found that the military relied on flawed intelligence and took unnecessary risks during the operation against ISIS.

The apology, delivered by Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans after Friday’s regular weekly Cabinet meeting, marks a continued shift in the Dutch government’s stance on the incident. For years, the precise number of civilian casualties remained disputed, with the Ministry of Defense initially downplaying the scale of the tragedy. However, mounting evidence culminating in a 2019 investigative report produced by NOS and NRC led to public pressure, with the Cabinet at the time approving the establishment of an independent inquiry, headed by former Justice Minister Winnie Sorgdrager.

Crucially, the commission found that the Dutch military was aware of the potential for significant civilian casualties due to the large quantity of explosives stored at the targeted site, but proceeded with the strike nonetheless. A significant portion of the residential area near the bomb-making facility was leveled. Families lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.

The Sorgdrager Commission’s report, released earlier this year, was scathing in its assessment of the military’s actions. It concluded that the Dutch forces relied heavily on intelligence from the United States, which proved to be incomplete and inaccurate. “We were there,” Sorgdrager said in January. “We saw - not in detail, but just in a bird’s-eye view - what the damage was. It was enormous.”

The investigation also highlighted a lack of adequate oversight and risk assessment during the planning and execution of the airstrike. The Dutch team at the Qatar operations center was understaffed, and those working at the facility lacked crucial expertise in intelligence analysis and access to legal counsel. This shortage prevented them from independently evaluating the reliability of American intelligence and assessing the potential impact on civilians.

The years that followed the bombing were marked by a prolonged period of denial and obfuscation by successive Cabinets led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The government provided incomplete and inaccurate information to Parliament on different occasions, failing to acknowledge the true extent of the civilian casualties.

The Dutch government allocated 4.5 million euros for reconstruction and compensation efforts in Hawija. However, critics argue that this amount is insufficient to address the scale of the damage and suffering, pointing out that the city’s infrastructure was destroyed along with a great deal of its agricultural sector, the city’s primary source of income.

“Everything was destroyed. And yes, then you can’t really do much with 4.5 million,” Sorgdrager said.