Geolocation
Airwars assessment
At least four and up to ten members of one family were reported killed in alleged Coalition (or possibly Russian) night time strikes on Abu Kamal.
According to the Deir Ezor Observatory there were three Coalition strikes on the city, all after midnight. And News of the Revolution reported that “International coalition planes last night carried out four raids targeting the cement factory, the Krash factory, al Sina’a [industrial area], al Hizam Al Akhdar [the green belt], and there is news of the martyrdom of an entire family.”
Free Deir Ezzor Broadcast named the victims, but said the attack was by Russia: “Khamees Said al Matar and nine members of his family were killed after warplanes targeted their house last night. The house was totally destroyed.” However the Coalition has confirmed carrying out strikes in the vicinity. The Syrian Network placed the Coalition death toll at four civilans, which it said included a woman.
The Syrian Network put the death toll at four, also naming Khamis Al Sayed Matar as well as Saeed Khamis Al Matar.
Responding to a request for clarification about possible involvement given declared UK strikes near Abu Kamal that day, the MoD told Airwars: “We cannot make any definitive assessment of possible UK presence from the evidence you have provided, but I can confirm that there was no indication of any civilian casualties in our own detailed assessments of the impact of each of our strikes over the period concerned.”
In its July 2017 monthly report the Coalition added that no civilians were harmed in the strike: “April 21, 2016, near Abu Kamal, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”
Based on available reports from the time, Airwars continues to class this event as fair.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (10) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]
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Saeed Khamis Al Matar (via SNHR)
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Khamis Al Sayed Matar (via SNHR)
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Translation: International coalition planes carried out last night 4 raids targeting the cement factory, the Krash factory, al Sina’a [industrial area], al Hizam Al Akhdar [the green belt] and there are news about the martyrdom of an entire family. (via Abumosa111)
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.
Original strike reports
The Coalition reports for April 21st-22nd 2016 that “Near Abu Kamal, two strikes struck an ISIL bed down location and an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility.“
[On April 21, two patrols, composed of 2 and 4 Mirage 2000D, respectively destroyed an oil infrastructure used for military purposes in the Abu Kamal region of Syria.]
‘2 frappes planifiées ont été conduites en Syrie Le 21 avril, deux patrouilles, composées de 2 et 4 Mirage 2000D, ont respectivement détruit dans la région d’Abu Kamal une infrastructure pétrolière utilisée à des fins militaires et une caserne.’