[Gorani:] The U.S. and Iraq are now investigating reports of many civilian deaths in western Mosul after a U.S.-led coalition airstrike struck in the same area amid the ongoing fight against ISIS and caused, according to eyewitnesses, up to 200 killed. What we do know is that an Iraqi official says at least 112 bodies have been pulled from the rubble. Let's get straight to Mosul. Joining me now from the line is Sabah Al Noman. He's the spokesperson for the Iraqi Counterterrorism Unit. Thanks for being with us. We're talking about an airstrike or airstrikes around March 17th that may have killed up to 200 civilians. What is the latest casualty number that you can share with us?
[Sabah Al Noman, Spokesperson, Iraqi Counterterrorism Service:] OK. Thank you very much. The investigations about this accident is still going on. A higher command [inaudible] are visiting the place which they destroyed. Until now, it's not clear that it's because of the airstrikes, and there's no any hole because of the airstrike. When we are investigate and checking the house, it was fully exploded by the ISIS. And the people, they are arrested and taken hostage inside this building, on this house. And also, in front of the house, there, the enemy parking a very long oil tank, which exploded and causing this large number of accident.
[Gorani:] Right.
[Al Noman:] Until now, the bodies, about 61 bodies, and we hope there's no more inside the house. And we're still finding if there's more bodies in the end of the house.
[Gorani:] How many are civilians? You're saying 61 bodies. It's different from the number that we've been given from an Iraqi official. Of the 61 bodies, how many were civilians?
[Al Noman:] Well, we had a survey earlier to count the whole number, but we success to evacuate about 61 bodies. And the civilian, still finding if there is more bodies inside the destroyed house. We hope there is no more bodies inside that, but we are still checking if there is more bodies inside this.
[Gorani:] But how many of them were civilians, children, women?
[Al Noman:] There is no accurate number about how many civilians were inside this house before it's destroyed by an exploded oil truck. There is no accurate number about how many civilians inside this building.
[Gorani:] Yes. But you're saying it's not even a certainty, according to you, that it was a coalition airstrike. Then what else would have caused so much damage? The whole building was destroyed and a tanker blew up.
[Al Noman:] Well, according to the used damage that we found, it's not caused by airstrike. Even the investigations still going on, there is no any announcement until now because we are waiting for the end of this investigation. But according to the area and according to the situation that we found, the explosion is not by airstrike. Still, there is no hole because of the airstrike. The used damage is because of an exploded building. And also in front of these houses, there was a long oil truck. It's exploded by ISIS. And also, the airstrike, they did some airstrike according to information from the Iraqi intelligence but not in this area, in another area.
[Gorani:] OK. So you're saying, in this particular case, it may not have been an airstrike. But there had been some reports that potentially it was, but we'll wait for the result of the investigation. Meantime, Sabah Al Noman, the Iraqi Counterterror Unit spokesperson joining us from near Mosul. Thank you very much for being on CNN. Now, back to our story about Russia, the government called Sunday's protest illegal then jailed the opposition activist, Alexei Navalny. But Navalny is not the only Russian opposition figure who says he's been targeted by the Kremlin. This video shows Putin critic, Vladimir Kara-Murza on the right, through the crosshairs of a gun. It appeared on the Instagram page of one of Putin's allies a year ago. Fast forward to last month and Kara-Murza is taken suddenly and critically in Moscow, complete organ failure. His wife said he had a 5 percent chance of survival. Vladimir Kara-Murza is now recovering but says he believes he was poisoned, not once but twice, pointing the finger firmly at the Kremlin. A spokesperson for Putin rejected the claim, telling the CNN, quote, "It's pure nonsense to make any connection of this unfortunate case with President Putin," unquote. Let's get more from the man himself, Vladimir Kara-Murza. He's in Washington where he's getting medical treatment and joins me now live. Thank you for being with us. First, I'd like to ask you how you are doing. You say you've been poisoned twice; you were near death twice. Your wife, herself, said you had 5 percent chance of survival just a few weeks ago, and here you are. How are you feeling?
[Vladimir Kara-murza, Russian Activist:] Hello, Hala. And it's good to be with you, and I really mean this in more ways than one. And I'm recovering. It's going to take a while until full recovery. Last time, it took me more than year. This time, I'm expecting probably something similar, but I'm trying to resume some of my work. I'm trying to be active as I can. And, of course, I'm very, very grateful and very fortunate to be here. As you mentioned, doctors did say that it was about a 5 percent chance that I will make it, both times, in 2015 after the first poisoning and last month, so it's certainly very good to be here. And as soon as I'm feeling able to, I'm going to return to my work and resume my work and my activities in the Russian opposition, of course.
[Gorani:] So you're going back to Moscow, that's your plan, even though, you say, you were the target of an assassination attempt twice?
[Kara-murza:] Well, Russia's my home. Russia's my country. I feel that the work that we do is important. You've seen you've just covered them on your show a few minutes ago those mass protests that we had across our country just yesterday 82 cities, tens and thousands of people, mostly young people. This is very important, by the way. Mr. Putin has been in power for 17 years, almost a generation. And these people, these college students, these high school kids in many cases, that went out to the streets of Russia yesterday to protest against this regime, against its corruption, against the impunity for such behavior under the current government, this is the Putin generation. These are the people that are being born and raised under Vladimir Putin, and he is losing them because they're fed up with the voicelessness. They're fed up with corruption. They're fed with authoritarianism and the lack of free and fair elections. They're fed up with the lack of future and lack of prospects. And frankly, I think it is our responsibility before those people to continue the work we're doing. And, of course, I have no intention of giving up or running away. I will return to Russia when I'm physically able to, once I fully recover because doctors are strongly advising that I need to get fully recovered after the second poisoning in two years before I can get back to work. So I'm probably going to listen to them this time.
[Gorani:] Right. But what do you
[Kara-murza:] Last time, I returned just a few months after
[Gorani:] Can I ask you, I mean, tangibly, on the ground, what is it that you want to try to achieve in Russia? I mean, at this stage, we've seen instances, for instance, Denis Voronenko, a former Russian lawmaker murdered in broad daylight in Ukraine. What is worth taking such a risk for, in your opinion, and how do you plan on achieving it?
[Kara-murza:] Well, this, this travesty of a crackdowns and repressions and threats, this is what Mr. Putin and his regime would like the world and everyone to see. And, in fact, as you know, Mr. Putin and his regime have long enjoined to equate themselves with Russia. And one of his top aides, Vyacheslav Volodin, who is the current Speaker of the Parliament, was recently on record saying there is no Russia without Putin, something, which is, in my view, insulting towards our country. But, unfortunately, too many people in the West, including political leaders in the West, have been falling into this trap, if I may so, and have been equating Putin and Russia when, in fact, Russia's very different. Russia's very diverse. And these young people, this young generation, that came out to the streets yesterday and that continues to become more and more actively involved in political and civic life, this is also Russia. In fact, this is the Russia of tomorrow. And I think our main work should be and, in fact, is focused on this new generation. The movement that I have the honor of representing, Open Russia, which is a pro-democracy movement founded by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the main focus of our work certainly is the young generation. It is the young people across the country. And all our projects are directed to this young generation. All the events we hold across Russia, the public debates, the discussions, the film screenings, the lectures, you know, everything we can do to try to maintain and expand that space for public discussion that is being increasingly repressed and shrink under this regime, several human rights and legal support projects that we engage in, the media project that we try to support despite the official propaganda and the official censorship that is being placed in Russia in the mainstream media, in the largest reach media under Mr. Putin for many, many years. All of these projects and all these initiatives are directed at umpiring and consolidating the young generation of democratic activists in Russia.
[Gorani:] So can I ask you about the young generation
[Kara-murza:] The people who take this responsibility
[Gorani:] So I just wanted to jump in because you mentioned these protests. They were bigger than, I think, many people expected, when they drew big crowds. There were hundreds of arrests, et cetera. Were you surprised at the size of them?
[Kara-murza:] Well, not really because I travel widely around Russia, outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg, in many, many regions. And everywhere I go and everywhere we hold events, there are people who are rejecting this regime, who reject everything it stands for, you know, its autocracy, its corruption, its isolation and aggression with regards to the outside world, and who wants to see Russia become a normal, modern, democratic European country. This is the new generation of Russia.
[Gorani:] But yet Vladimir Putin, he's rather popular if you look at his actual popularity rating inside of Russia.
[Kara-murza:] Well, you know, frankly, there's nothing but smile that can be a reaction to these things. Of course, these are the Kremlin claims, right? And when you've been in power for 17 years, when you have shut down and silenced every single large, independent media outlet, when you have removed your opponents from the ballot in many cases, put your opponents in prison, and in other cases, unfortunately, deprived your opponents of life as happened with Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov who was killed two years ago just in front of the Kremlin when you've done all that and you maintain a relentless propaganda in the media, and when you try to scare people by keeping them in prison or exile, I don't think it's really meaningful to talk about any kind of popularity or any kind of opinion polls. I think the real worth of all of these was actually shown yesterday. When you see those tens and thousands of people across Russia protesting against the Putin regime, and nobody came out in support of the Putin regime. The only institution he has in his defense are the riot police and the National Guard. And if you really were that popular, let me ask you, why would he need to rig elections one after another? Why would he need to silence independent media? And why would he need to jail or exile or kill his opponents, if he really were as popular as he claims to be?
[Gorani:] I just want to ask you a last question on a personal note. Obviously, you have kids, you're married. First of all, have you figured it out what poison was used to try to kill you? And secondly, what do you tell your family before heading back to Moscow when it's clearly risky for you to do so and it almost cost you your life twice?
[Kara-murza:] Well, as far as the poison, the doctors have stated in the official diagnosis that it was an undefined toxin. They haven't determined what it is. They did say it was some kind of a toxin, but we don't know exactly what. And, of course, you know, Russian domestic security services have had this laboratory for poisons and toxins for many, many years I should say, many decades and they've really been sophisticated with this. There are some toxicologists who are working on my blood samples to try to see if they can find out. And, of course, if they do find something out, we'll definitely let people know. But for know, we know it was an undefined toxin to led to a multiple organ failure and left me in a coma within hours. And I'm very grateful to the doctors who saved my life twice in Moscow in the last two years. In terms of the personal cost, I mean, of course, we have known for a long time that it is a dangerous vocation to be in opposition to Mr. Putin's regime, and so many people have paid, you know, for it with their freedom or with having to leave the country or with their lives, as Boris Nemtsov and so many others. But I think what we're doing is right. I think what we're doing is important because Russia is our country. And I think this regime, the regime of Vladimir Putin, is robbing our country and our young generation of future and of prospects. And if we're serious about this, we have to continue our work, yes, at great personal risk. And, of course, my family is worried and my wife is worried. But, you know, I'm very fortunate to have this woman in my life. She understands, she knows who she married. And I think not "I think," I know that I will resume my work. I will go back and I will continue then what we're doing. And I know that one day, Russia will be free because the Russian people, just as any other people, is deserving to live under rule of law, under a democratic system of government where human rights are respected. And I have absolutely no doubt that this is the future that awaits our country.
[Gorani:] Vladimir Kara-Murza, thank you very much for joining us in Washington. And we're glad that you're getting healthier.
[Kara-murza:] Thank you very much. It's good to be with you.
[Gorani:] So thank you so much also for making time for us. Thank you. And don't forget, you could check out our Facebook page. We'll post some of our interview with Vladimir Kara-Murza. You will find it at facebook.comhalagoranicnn. We'll be right back.