Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS811

Incident date

May 13, 2017

Location

حويقة, Hweika, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3353632, 40.1380348 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three named civilians died in an airstrike on a home in Hweika, according to local media. No sources pointed directly at the Coalition, with the majority referring to unidentified “warplanes.” Other reports, however, attributed the event to the Assad regime or Russia.

The Euphrates Post reported the death of two civilians following a raid by an unidentified warplane on their home in Hweika.

However, Raqqa Post blamed a raid by the regime for the death of two children. Sharqiya also said that the regime was responsible, naming the child Thaer al-Tahtouh as killed in a strike on a civilian home.

But other sources – Amer Hweidi, Enab Baladi, JisirTV, RFS – pointed towards Russia, again saying that two children died in the strike.

Two further victims were named.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mahmoud Askar Khalifa
Adult male Also known as Abu Musab killed
Mahmoud Jamil Khalifa al-Askar Abu Musab
Adult male Also known as Abu Lahoud killed

The victims were named as:

Thaer al-Tahtouh
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Yusuf Thaer al-Tahtouh, killed in an airstrike on Hweika, May 13th (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 Hweika, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV040116
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 12th-13th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 16 ISIS oil tankers, two ISIS oil processing equipment, two fighting positions, and a vehicle.”

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]