Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS057

Incident date

February 23, 2015

Location

تل حميس, Tall Hamis, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.75514, 41.399094 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Syria’s Violations Documentation Center, a Coalition airstrike at Tal Hamis – scene of a major battle between Kurdish forces and Islamic State at the time – resulted in the death of a male teenager.

In July 2017, the Coalition classed the event as non credible on grounds of lack of available evidence of civilian harm: “Feb. 23, 2015, near Tal Hamis, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

15 years old male killed

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

  • Image of 15 year old Sleiman Al-Khada’an killed in an alleged coalition raid on Tal Hamis on 23/02/2015. [Via: VDC]

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Tal Hamis, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The coalition did not begin referencing airstrikes at Tal Hamis until February 27th-28th. Prior to then it is likely that any strikes were grouped with activity around Kobane.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]