Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1304 RS2374

Incident date

July 31, 2017

Location

قرية الكشمة, Al Kasham, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.811111, 40.600833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Ten civilians were reported injured in airstrikes on Al Kasham village according to local media – though it was unclear who was responsible, with allegations against the Coalition, Russia and the Syrian regime.

According to Euphrates Post, one male also died in a Russian strike on the village. The source also named the following two civilians among those injured: “the son of Mohammed is in critical condition; The wife of Eid Al Hakoum is in critical condition.”

Fresh Syria and Almanar blamed the Coalition for carrying out a strike which reportedly injured “a number of civilians”. According to Euphrates Post – which did not identify the culprit – said a strike hit “the house of Hilou al-Mansi and Mohammed al-Farhan”.

However the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that it was unclear whether the US-led Coalition or Moscow were to blame. The Observatory reported: “About 10 civilians including children were confirmed injured as a result of the bombing by warplanes. It is unknown whether the planes belonged to Russia or the international Coalition”. Jisirtv also pointed towards Russia.

One source, Akhbaraalaan, attributed the event to the Assad regime, reporting that “the Syrian air force launched air strikes on areas in al-Kashmeh area in the western suburb of Deir al-Zour, causing injuries, including children and women.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Ayman Mohammed Farhan Abdul, killed in alleged Russian and Coalition airstrikes on Al Kasham, 31st July 2017. (via Euphrates Post)

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 Kamsheh (Dayr Az Zawr), Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV1716807013
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For July 31st – August 1st: “ Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed 13 ISIS oil stills, an oil storage barrel and an ISIS chemical weapons factory.“

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Monday 31 July – Typhoons attacked a Daesh defensive position and two sniper teams in Raqqa…Royal Air Force Tornado, Typhoon and Reaper aircraft have continued to fly daily armed reconnaissance missions against Daesh over Syria and Iraq, and have delivered a number of air strikes against terrorist targets in Raqqa. On Monday 31 July, two flights of Typhoons, based at RAF Akrotiri, delivered successful attacks with Paveway IV guided bombs against a defensive position from which Daesh were firing on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and against two sniper teams.’

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between July 1st – 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]