Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1417

Incident date

August 25, 2017

Location

Al Fadaghmi, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

35.905, 40.887778 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two or three civilians were killed in alleged US airstrikes close to Al-Fadghami village near Hasaka City.

Yusuf Ali al-Shawoush (12 years) and Hassan Ali al-Hamoud (55 years), and one unidentified person, were reportedly shepherds who were herding their flock when the airstrikes hit. According to local sources around 130 sheep were also killed in the event.

A correspondent with Al-Khabour “said that the international coalition aircraft launched an air raid on the villages, targeting three missiles… which resulted in the deaths of the shepherds.” All sources held the US-led Coalition responsible for the attacks.

The alliance itself publicly declared no strikes in the governorate for this date.

In the second of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hassan Ali al-Hamoud
55 years old male killed
Yusuf Ali al-Shawoush
12 years old male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the outskirts of the village of Al Fadghami (الفدغمي). The generic coordinates for the village are: 35.905, 40.887778.  

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Photo of Mr Hassan Ali Al-Hamoud, killed in an alleged Coalition strike close to the Al-Fadghami village in Hasaka City, August 25th 2017. (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
    in Al-Fadghami, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV703750
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 9, 2020
  • Aug. 27 [later corrected to Aug 25th] , 2017, in Al-Fadghami, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 1251/CS1417 37SFV703750

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 25th-26th the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in the vicinity.

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • For Aug 23rd-29th, France report 8 strikes in Iraq and 11 strikes in Syria, plus 46 artillery missions in Tal Afar, Iraq.(@EtatMajorFR)

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]