Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1485 RS2443

Incident date

September 14, 2017

Location

بقرص تحتاني, Bokros Tahtani, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.057081, 40.411497 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between seven and nine civilians died including three children and one woman and up to 17 others were wounded in airstrikes on the al Qasr area of Bokros Tahtani, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether the Coalition, Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

The Step News Agency and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights pointed towards Coalition airstrikes. However most other sources including Al Araby, Orient and Sharqiya Voice, blamed Russia.

According to Sharqiya, “a Russian warplane targeted the village of Bokros Tahtani, and in particular civilian homes on al Qasr Road in the centre of the village, killing nine civilians and wounding more than 17 others, in addition to the destruction of houses.”

Deir Ezzor24 reported that warplanes “bombed a group of civilians near a car who were distributing bread in the village.” Other sources said that the strikes occurred near al Qasr school.

Orient News reported “a total of 14 martyrs, mostly women and children, killed and a number of others injured as a result of Russian air strikes targeting the towns of Baqrass Tahtani and Khasham in the village of Deir al-Zour with rockets and cluster bombs.”

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime, reporting: “6 civilians, including 3 children and a woman, killed in Syrian regime warplanes missiles fired on Buqrus Tahtani village in Deir Ez-Zour governorate eastern suburbs, September 14, 2017.”

Euphrates Post also said that Khader Sa’id al-Nizhan died as a result of injuries sustained in an attack by warplanes on September 14th – though the source later told Airwars that the event occurred in Al Mayadin.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhannad al Hamid al Akoo
Age unknown killed
The daughter of Hamad al-Hussein
Age unknown female
Hussein Al-Hamad Al-Hussein Al-Hamada
Age unknown male killed
The daughter of Nizar al-Nizhan
Age unknown female killed
The daughter of Ahmad Al-Khalifa Badawi
Age unknown female killed
Wife of Nizar al-Nizhan
Age unknown female killed
Yousef Al-Hussein
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Al Qasr (القصر) area in the village of Bokros Tahtani (بقرص تحتاني). One source describes the place as near Al Qasr school, from the road of Badia. Airwars geolocated photos of a destroyed building to this location: 35.057081, 40.411497. Satellite imagery available to Airwars suggests that the building was destroyed between 12 and 22 September, 2017

  • Structural damage seen to the building on October 1st, 2017

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Based on this panorama composed of available media, Airwars was able to geolocate the destroyed building

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 9
  • (3 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • 'Pictures showing the destruction caused by the air raid on the town of Baqras Tahtani near the palace school from the road Badia noon today.'
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 Bokros Tahtani, Deir Ez Zor, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU287802
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 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 September 13th-14th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, nine strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed two tactical vehicles, an ISIS fuel station and a fighting position.”

For September 14th - 15th, the Coalition reported: "Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two vehicles". It later reported, "On Sept. 14, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria six strikes destroyed an ISIS UAS, a fighting position, an ISIS supply route and suppressed three fighting positions"

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Friday 15 September – a Reaper supported coalition airstrikes near Dayr az Zawr, and delivered two attacks itself against extremists in the open, whilst Typhoons destroyed a Daesh-held building… On Friday 15 September, a Reaper was again very active north-east of Dayr az Zawr; it provided support to coalition airstrikes which destroyed three Daesh-held buildings, then conducted two attacks on its own account with Hellfire missiles against terrorists moving through the area. Nearby, a Typhoon flight bombed a further Daesh-held building.’

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
    7 – 9
  • (3 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]