Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1277

Incident date

July 26, 2017

Location

بلدة الطيبة, Al Tayba, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.0052619, 40.4581082 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 15 civilians including nine people from the same family died and dozens more were injured in airstrikes near Taybah in Mayadin, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the Coalition or Russia were to blame.

The Step News Agency, Smart News Agency and Zamanalwasl were among sources pointing towards the US-led Coalition. According to Smart, nine civilians from one family – including five women – died, with dozens more injured.

The Step News Agency put the death toll even higher at 15.

Euphrates Post (who referred only to “military aircraft”) and other sources named victims from the Al-Manfi family (including four children).

A number of other sources said that the warplanes responsible had not be identified.

According to @zaidbenjamin, 14 non-combatants died, including five children and four women.

Other sources gave more detail on the locations of the strikes. Qasioun reported that “one of the raids targeted a house near the agricultural building in the town, killing two women and four children from one family”, while Euphrates Post added that strikes also “targeted the vicinity of Koniku gas field and the crossing of the town of Tiyana and Badia Albuqmal”. Multiple sources said that civilian homes were struck.

One source – the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights – suggested that the strikes may have been carried out by Moscow, reporting that “explosions were heard in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, as a result of airstrikes carried out by warplanes targeting locations in Taybah area. It is unknown whether the planes were Russian or belonged to the international Coalition”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (9)

Salman Saddam Al-Manfi
Age unknown killed
Abd al-Aziz Saddam Al-Manfi
Age unknown killed
Daughter of Saddam Al-Manfi
Age unknown female killed
Saddam’s Al-Manfi wife
Adult female killed
Hossan Hamid Al-Manfi
Age unknown male killed
Salman Hamed Al-Manfi
Age unknown killed
Daughter of Saddam Al-Manfi
Age unknown female killed
Umm Jassem, wife of Mohamed Hamada Al-Manfi
Adult female killed
Wife of Abed Hamid Al-Manfi
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 15
  • (4–5 children2–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the alleged Coalition and Russian airstrikes which targeted Deir Ezzor, 26th July 2017. (via Sharqiya voice)

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 al Tayba, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 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 July 26th-27th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed three ISIS well-heads.”

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

In the last week (20th-27th) France reports carrying out two strikes in Raqqah, destroying two ISIL combat positions. Task Force (TF) Wagram carried out 21 artillery strikes in Mosul. The overall record of air activity since September 19th 2014 amounts to 1,324 strikes, 2,092 targets destroyed and 6,857 sorties.

‘OPÉRATION CHAMMAL SITUATION En Syrie, Dans la ville de Raqqah, Daech continue de perdre du terrain, jour après jour, face aux Forces Démocratiques Syriennes. Les combattants terroristes continuent néanmoins de disposer de solides positions défensives dans le cœur de la ville, à partir desquelles ils mènent des contre-attaques régulières et des actions de harcèlement. En Irak, Les forces de sécurités irakiennes poursuivent leurs opérations de sécurisation de la ville de Mossoul, face à des équipes isolées de combattants qui continuent de mener des actions symboliques de harcèlement. Dans le même temps, Daech consolide ses positions autour de Tal Afar, pour tenter de résister à l’offensive prochaine de la Coalition pour libérer aussi cette ville. Daech poursuit par ailleurs ses actions de diversion et de harcèlement, en se concentrant dans les régions de l’Anbar et d’Hawijah. Certaines actions ont également été menées cette semaine dans l’Ouest de l’Irak, dans la région de Rutbah. ACTIVITÉS DE LA FORCE Cette semaine, les aéronefs ont réalisé 45 sorties aériennes dont 31 de reconnaissance armée et d’appui au sol (CAS), ainsi que 04 missions de recueil de renseignement et 06 de ravitaillement en vol. Un C135-FR récemment déployé a en effet réalisé de nombreuses missions en quelques jours à peine, soutenant ainsi, à son niveau, la bascule des efforts de la Coalition vers les autres bastions de Daech. Deux frappes ont été menées dans le cadre de la bataille de Raqqah, détruisant deux positions de combattants ennemies, au contact des troupes alliées engagées. De ces positions, des tireurs de Daech tenaient sous leur feu les soldats alliés à une centaine de mètres à peine. La Task Force (TF) Wagram a réalisé 21 missions de tir dont 07 de harcèlement et 14 d’éclairement. Ces missions interdisent une offensive de contre des terroristes vers Mossoul. Le bilan global de l’activité aérienne depuis le 19 septembre 2014 s’élève à 1 324 frappes, 2 092 objectifs détruits et 6 857 sorties. Le bilan global de l’activité artillerie atteint 1 331 missions.’

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Wednesday 26 July – a Reaper destroyed a terrorist truck in eastern Syria..A Royal Air Force Reaper flew an armed reconnaissance mission over eastern Syria on Wednesday 26 July. A group of armed terrorists were observed boarding a truck, and the Reaper’s crew tracked the vehicle as it headed west along a desert road, some 20 miles south-south-east of Hasakah, before engaging with a Hellfire missile once it was in an isolated location. The missile scored a direct hit which destroyed the truck.’

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 15
  • (4–5 children2–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]