Two children are feared to be among those killed in separate bombing raids in Iraq involving the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Key points: Two incidents of civilian casualties in West Mosul involved Australian aircraft or personnel

Two incidents of civilian casualties in West Mosul involved Australian aircraft or personnel Iraqi forces under fire from ISIS fighters when RAAF hornets called in

Iraqi forces under fire from ISIS fighters when RAAF hornets called in ADF says its members operated within strict rules of engagement

The Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, has detailed two incidents of civilian casualties in West Mosul which occurred this year involving Australian aircraft or personnel.

On March 30 a coalition aircraft from an unspecified country bombed a residential building in the ISIS-held city, killing or injuring seven civilians, including one believed to be a child.

The approval to strike involved an ADF member stationed nearby.

In June, RAAF hornets bombed another building in the war-ravaged city.

A child is believed to have been killed in the strike.

The hornets were called in by an Iraqi army unit that was under fire from ISIS fighters.

"They [the Iraqi army unit] found themselves within 20 metres of a building in which Daesh fighters were," Vice Admiral Johnston explained.

"They were engaged by small arms fire and were pinned down, unable to move.

"We had a pair of hornets that were airborne at the time … they performed a strike, it was a single precision guided weapon, a low-collateral weapon."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 9 minutes 43 seconds 9 m Is the Australia Defence Force transparent enough about its role in Iraq and Syria? ( Sophie McNeill )

ADF operated within the rules

Defence says both incidents have been thoroughly reviewed and some extra training has been introduced.

It says in both incidents ADF members operated within their strict rules of engagement.

"West Mosul is a heavily built up area and a very dangerous area for combat operations," Vice Admiral Johnston said.

"Daesh we know uses civilian homes and booby trapped buildings, and uses those homes as defensive fighting positions."