Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1591

Incident date

October 6, 2017

Location

Markada, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Up to 15 civilians died following alleged US-led Coalition strikes on Markada in the southern countryside of Al Hasakah governorate. It was claimed that the Coalition targeted a number of locations in the town controlled by so-called Islamic State. The attack left an unknown number of others wounded.

Airstrikes hit a vegetable market in the centre of the town, according to Jisr TV, resulting in the loss of civilian life; The news station said the Coalition strikes came in conjunction with a “battle launched by the Kurdish separatist militias to control the southern countryside of Hasakah and areas in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor”. Furthermore, Shaam News Network reported: “there are very serious battles between ISIS and the Syrian Democratic Forces in the town of Markada”, with the source adding that “activists reported 15 killed in a horrific massacre by air raids carried out by the Coalition… in the centre of the town.”

Euphrates Post named one victim as Mahmoud Salloum Dawood al-Hafel from the village of al-Mweileh, who died during airstrikes near the area of Markada while trying to flee to the countryside of Hasakah. The source was the only one that did not apportion blame. All others alleged the US-led Coalition was culpable for the attack and resultant loss of life.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Salloum Dawood al-Hafel
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Markada (مركدة) in the countryside south of Al Hasaka (الحسكة), for which the coordinates are: 35.765641, 40.771032. Sources mention the vegetable market and the centre as being struck, suggesting that the market is possibly in the centre of the town, however, due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • 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 Marqada, 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 October 5th-6th 2017 the Coalition reported that “Near Al Hawl, one strike destroyed an ISIS staging area.” And that “Near Al Shadaddi, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • 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]