Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS701

Incident date

April 17, 2017

Location

الحسينية, Al Hussayniya, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.358889, 40.151111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 7 and 13 civilians including two women and two children died and 12 more were wounded in an airstrike which hit near the Faculty of Agriculture building in Hussayniya. Between 6 and 9 ISIL fighters were also said to have died.

While most sources attributed the incident to the Coalition – with some specifically blaming the US – others said that warplanes belonging to the Syrian regime were responsible.

According to the Step News Agency, which put the death toll at 12, warplanes “bombed the crossing between the swimming pool and Nadi Al-Muhandessen. The raids targeted the Agriculture Directorate, 100 meters from a crossing. The strike occurred while IS was crossing a IS checkpoint, killing at least six members of IS, destroying two cars and killing seven civilians including two children.”

Shariqya added that the raids led to “the collapse of a four-storey building adjacent to the agriculture building, which fell on a number of civilian carpenters who were on their lunch break.”

Euphrates Post initially reported that Tariq Ahmad al-Assaad was killed but later reported that he was found alive after he had “managed to emerge from the rubble and went to his home where, it is should be noted, his family was holding a condolence and funeral for him.”

Cyberman and Samidon specifically blamed the US, putting the number killed at 13, while Syrian Mirror reported that the Coalition had carried out several strikes with 12 rockets.

However, Jisr TV and Smart blamed the regime, with the latter reporting: “The activists pointed out that seven civilians were killed and others were wounded by the bombing of the agricultural building in the village of Hussayniya by warplanes likely belonging to the regime. The activists pointed to the absence of an ISIL headquarters in the building”.

Some other sources did not identify the culprit, referring only to “warplanes”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Hamad Hussein Ibrahim
killed
Fayyad Hamad Hussein Al – Ibrahim
Child killed
Hussein Hamad Hussein Ibrahim
Child killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Hussein Al-Aliawi
Age unknown male killed
Ali Hussein Al Ali Al Khalif
Age unknown killed
Tariq Ahmed Mukhlaf
Age unknown male possibly Tariq Ahmad al Assad – see above killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incidents mention the town of Al Hussayniya (الحسينية), Deir Ezzor governorate, for which the coordinates are: 35.358889, 40.151111. The ‘Faculty of Agriculture’ (كلية الزراعة) is often mentioned in reports. This could hence be the possible location of the incident. The coordinates for Al Hussayniya’s Faculty of Agriculture are: 35.35166667, 40.15416667.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 13
  • (2 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Tariq Ahmad al-Assaad, initially reported as killed in an alleged Coalition raid on Husseiniya, however, it was subsequently reported that he dug his way out of the rubble and returned to his home (via Euphrates Post)
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 Husseiniya, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 28, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties. (1338)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 16th-17th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, nine strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine ISIS oil equipment items, five well heads, and one vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

For April 17th-18th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed four ISIS well heads, a command and control node and an ISIS vehicle.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 13
  • (2 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (29) [ collapse]