(Previous Incident Code: S196)

Up to ten civilians were reported killed in an alleged Coalition evening strike at Al Arshaf village on the outskirts of Ekhitrin town, in the northern Aleppo countryside.

Syria Urgent initially said 6 civilians died – 4 women and two men – with another four injured “following an American raid.” The Syrian Observatory placed the death toll at seven, saying all the victims came from one family. And Shaam News said ten died, including 5 women.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “On Friday evening 20 May 2016 International coalition warplanes launched missiles at the northern eastern parts of Arshaf Town [near subway Akhtarin] in the norther suburbs of Aleppo governorate under the control of ISIS, killing 8 people including 3 children and two women, seven others were injured.”

Responding to a request for clarification about possible involvement given declared UK strikes near Aleppo that day, the MoD told Airwars that “after extensive research, we can confirm that there was no UK involvement” in the alleged event.

VDC later named the following victims, most from one family:

Khadijeh Jamal Rajab – girl

Ineam Jamal Rajab – girl

Mohammad Rajab – man

Bashar Mohammad Bashar – man

Aysha Rajab – woman

Israe Mohammad Rajab – girl

Jamal Rajab – man

Salha Mohammad Jomea – woman

2 unidentified adult males

In its July 2017 monthly report, the Coalition said it had classed the event as non credible based on available information: “May 20, 2016, near Arshaf, 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.”

However, based on information published at the time, Airwars continues to assess this event as Fair.