Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1523

Incident date

September 24, 2017

Location

مركدة , Markada, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

35.765641, 40.771032 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eleven civilians including one woman and two or more children died and many more were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Markada, local media reported.

All sources attributed the event to the US-led Coalition. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that four non-combatants including two girls and a woman died. Insaan Rights Watch also put the death toll at four including two children. According to Jirstv and Shadadi media center two families were killed.

Alkhabou provided the most detail reporting: “Yesterday evening, Coalition forces targeted civilian houses in the town of Merkada, killing and injuring civilians, some of whom were left in a critical condition. Coalition aircraft bombed the homes of civilians with several high-explosive rockets in the town of (Markda) south of the city of Shaddadi, causing the death of a number of civilians. These include Fahad Radi and his daughters, and wife of Abu Sabri and his daughter; A refugee family from Iraq, and a large number of wounded, some seriously.”

Six people from a refugee Iraqi family were also reportedly killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “the death toll is likely to increase because of the presence of people injured in serious conditions”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Fahad Radi
Adult male killed
Daughter of Fahad Radi
Child female
Daughter of Fahad Radi
Child

Family members (2)

The wife of Abu Sabri
Adult female killed
Daughter of Abu Sabri
Child female

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Markada (مركدة), Al Hasakah governorate. The coordinates for this village are: 35.765641, 40.771032.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2–3 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–10
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

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 Markadah, Syria
    Nearest population center

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 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: “Near Al Shadaddi, one strike destroyed an ISIS headquarters.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2–3 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–10
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]