Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1522

Incident date

September 24, 2017

Location

الميادين, Al Mayadeen, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

Seven or ten civilians, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed by an airstrike on Al Mayadin.

According to Al Haddath, Coalition aircraft “launched air raids on residential areas in the eastern city of Mayadeen”, killing seven civilians, mostly women and children from the same family. This was reiterated by pro-regime outlet Tishreen. The Syrian Coalition reported a tally of 10 people killed, injuring dozens.

The Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office identified one of the reportedly killed women as Fatima Mohammad Reza Al-Kanakri. According to the center, she “died after being hit by an air strike of the international coalition”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed “several strikes” on Mayadin, but did not identify a culprit or report any civilian casualties. The observatory noted that the “warplanes” targeted two houses, which were reportedly used by ISIS as a weapon storage facility.

It is important to note that Airwars researchers have also identified public reports of civilian harm as a result of airstrikes in al Mayadin on September 25th (S1350). Still, although the civilian harm events have similarities, local sources very specifically pinpoint both incidents a day apart.

In their August 2020 civilian casualty report, 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:

Fatima Mohammad Reza Al-Kanakri.
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • '10 people were killed and dozens were wounded by a bombardment of warplanes which targeted the neighborhoods of the town of Mayadin and villages in the Hwaij countryside'

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU324762
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 22, 2020
  • Sept. 24, 2017, in Al Mayadin, 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. 3150/CS1522 37SFU324762

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For September 23rd-24th, the Coalition reported that: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed a fighting position.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

Sunday 24 September – a Reaper hit a truck-bomb near Dayr az Zawr in Syria, while Tornados demolished a terrorist-held building in northern Iraq…On Sunday 24 September, a Reaper kept watch over the area north-east of Dayr az Zawr in Syria, and used a Hellfire missile to destroy a truck-bomb. Over northern Iraq, Tornados demolished a Daesh-held building in Zawiyyah with a Paveway IV.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]