Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS351

Incident date

October 27, 2016

Location

بريهة, Bariha, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least 10 civilians were killed and more than a dozen wounded from airstrikes, according to local reports.

Shaam News Network cited activists who reported warplanes “thought to belong to the international coalition” launched airstrikes on a house, resulting in “martyrs and wounded among civilians, most of them children.” At the time, it reported five had died, including four children. Other outlets, including Free Deir Ezzor Radio and the Syrian Observator, cited the Coalition as well. Euphrates Post – like several other outlets and monitors, including Deir Ezzor 24 – did not name a perpetrator, but it did increased the death toll to “more than 10 people.”

However, Step News Agency cited Russian forces for the attack. A correspondent for Radio Al Kul also blamed the Russians, and put the death toll at 11 civilians, adding that the death toll was likely to rise. Syria News Desk reported a death toll of 8 and more than 15 wounded. It clarified that five of the dead were all members of one family – “four children and their father” – which may have accounted for the earlier figures of 5 victims.

Adding to the confusion, a separate report published by the Syrian Mirror cited the Syrian regime as also bombing in the area.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 11
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    13–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (12) [ 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Bariha, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 26th-27th, the Coalition reported “Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed an ISIL oil well head and an oil pump jack.” For October 27th-28th, the Coalition reported “Near Abu Kamal, one strike damaged an ISIL supply route.”

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 11
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    13–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]