Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS108

Incident date

July 30, 2015

Location

البوكمال, Abu Kamal, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.466049, 40.907593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five members of one family including three children were killed in a reported 1.30am Coalition strike on the Syria-Iraq border, according to two sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noted the following: “Suspected US-led coalition warplanes carried out several raids after midnight on places around Aysha hospital and other places around the city of al- Bokamal to the east of Deir Ezzor, leading to the death of a man, his wife and one of their children, while others were wounded.”

The Syrian Network published a later investigation, citing an eyewitness it named as Mr. Alaa: “I woke up at the sound of an explosion at about 1:30 a.m…. I went to the building’s roof to see what happened, and I was able to estimate the shelling location. It was near the cement factory and I heard the people’s screams. I went directly to the shelling location and saw great destruction. One of the rockets fell in the middle of a road next to a 2 story building, while the other fell in the middle of that house. Blood and body parts were scattered on the walls and on the road. The victims were transported to the hospital and I tried to enter it too but ISIL’s members prohibited us due to the fear of another airstrike. I heard that 5 individuals from Hasso family were killed in the shelling.”

In its civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year, the Coalition assessed this event as ‘not credible, asserting: “July 30, 2015, in Abu Kamal, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2807/CS108 37SFU752155”.

Officials published a location for the event to within 100 metres of where they had remotely assessed the incident.

The incident occured at 01:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Rihad Jasem Al Barghash
45 years old female Ahmad Mohamad Al Hasso’s wife killed
Mohamad Ahmad Mohamad Al Hasso
21 years old male killed
Ritaj Khodor Al Hasso
4 years old female killed
Batoul Rabee’ Al Hasso
5 years old female killed
Wisal Rabee’ Al Hasso
12 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Child victim of a reported Coalition strike at Bukamal, Syria on July 30 2015 [Via: SN4HR report of 11th August 2015. Logo on image is of ISIL-affiliated media]
  • Mapping by the Syrian Network for Human Rights showing the proximity of Al Hassou family home where five members of the family were killed, to likely Coalition target
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child victim of a reported Coalition strike at Bukamal, Syria on July 30 2015 [Via: SN4HR report of 11th August 2015. Logo on image is of ISIL-affiliated media]
  • Image of injured child from the strike at al Bukamal, Syria on July 30 2015. [Via: SN4HR report of 11th August 2015. Logo on image is of ISIL-affiliated media]

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    in Abu Kamal, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU752155
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019
  • July 30, 2015, in Abu Kamal, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2807/CS108 37SFU752155

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Heavy Coalition airstrikes were reported at Dayr az Zawr for July 30th-31st 2015: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, 17 airstrikes [1 Canadian at Bukamal] struck eight ISIL staging areas, three ISIL bridges, four ISIL checkpoints, an ISIL training area and an ISIL logistics site.“

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS