Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1499

Incident date

September 16, 2017

Location

Mayadin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.026052, 40.459074 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians, including two women and two children, died following airstrikes on residential areas of Al Kornish, Al Mayadin, according to multiple local sources. At present it is unclear who was responsible as the majority of sources did not identify the aircraft. Russia was blamed by four reports, the US-led Coalition was accused by one and the Syrian Regime was accused by a single source.

The Euphrates Post said civilians were wounded “as a result of Russian warplanes targeting the city of Mayadeen”. Children were said to be trapped under the rubble.

The raid took place at dawn and hit multiple neighbourhoods in Al Mayadin including at Al Inaash center and near the Almshouh mosque and the vicinity of the Noue Al Saeed hospital and the beginning of Al Jaish street, according to Marsad Al Hasaka, who in a subsequent report blamed “Russian occupation aircraft” and reiterated that children remained under rubble.

Alemyavena published a graphic photograph of a girl, revealing an amputated arm following injuries sustained from the raid which they attributed to Russian forces. A further Alemyavena report claimed the another child (pictured) was still underneath the rubble after 29 hours, and “his family do not know anything about him”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights alleged a civilian was killed by missiles fired by “Syrian regime warplanes”. The only allegation against the US-led Coalition was from Al Natek which said “The city of Al Mayadin today witnessed the death and injury of civilians in the bombing of the Coalition”.

In April 2019 the Coalition announced that it had classed this allegation of civilian harm as non-credible, noting: “After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Amina Ibrahim
Adult female killed
Wife of “Mr. Mahmoud Ibrahim”
Adult female killed
Maha Okab al – Arab
Child female killed
Ismail Mahmood al-Ibrahim
Child Under the rubble unfound for at least 29 hours - grandson of Amina al-Ibrahim
Khalidiya Mohammed Jala Al-Shahatha, “the wife of the late “Mari al-Hammadi”
Adult female a resident of the neighbourhood of Jubaila in the city of Deir Ezzor killed
Ismail Mahmood al-Ibrahim
Age unknown killed

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the area or road named Al Kornish (الكورنیش) in Al Mayadin (المیادین). The coordinates for this street are: 35.026052, 40.459074.

  • Al Kornish road (الكورنیش) in Al Mayadin (المیادین)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • 'The child Ismail Mahmoud al Ibrahim, from al Mayadeen city in Deir Ez-Zour governorate eastern suburbs, killed in Syrian regime warplanes missiles fired on al Mayadeen city on September 16, 2017.' (via SN4HR)
  • Significant destruction in Mayadin, following suspected airstrikes, September 16th (via Euphrates Post)
  • A photograph of one of the alleged strikes on Mayadin, September 16th (via Marsad Al Hasaka)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian child wounded by the alleged airstrikes in Al Mayadin, September 16th (via Marsad Al Hasaka)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A very graphic photograph of a child severely wounded or killed in the alleged strikes on Mayadin, September 16th (via Marsad Al Hasaka)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child severely wounded or killed in the alleged strikes on Mayadin, September 16th (via Marsad Al Hasaka)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A little girl with wounds to the head following alleged airstrikes on Al Mayadin, September 16th (via Marsad Al Hassaka)
  • A photograph of Maha Okab al - Arab prior to incurring severe injuries following alleged airstrikes on Mayadin, September 16th (via Alemyavena)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Maha Okab al - Arab with severe injuries following alleged airstrikes on Mayadin, September 16th (via Alemyavena)

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
    Other
  • Stated location
    near Mayadin, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU331769
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 25, 2019
  • Sept. 16, 2017, near Mayadin, Syria, via Airwars report. After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For September 15th – 16th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS boat.” It additionally added that “On Sept. 15, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, five strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions and a command and control node.”

For September 16th - 17th, the Coalition reported: "Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS boat" and "Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a VBIED and an ISIS headquarters."

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.’

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]