Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1652 RS2663

Incident date

October 30, 2017

Location

السوسة, Al Soussa town, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.516166, 40.951635 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family of up to six civilians died in airstrikes on Al Soussa town, according to local media. While most sources said that Russia was to blame, two alleged that the Coalition was responsible. One other source pointed towards the Syrian regime.

The majority of sources (Al Latamna Youth Gathering, Al Jisr, Baladi, Eldorar, Step News Agency, the Shaam News Network, the Syrian Network for Human Rights and Rozana) attributed the event to Russia.

According to Marsad al Sharqiya, “the bombing focused on Al Soussa police station, the home of Ibrahim Al Mohsen and the farm of Jassim al-Fares, and the raids led to the martyrdom of a displaced family who lived in the police station.”

However, Zaki al Houkan, who appears to be an activist living in Germany, claimed that the warplane “likely belonged to the International Coalition”, alleging that it struck at “01:30 today”.

Al Hall also blamed the Coalition, reporting that “‘Coalition raids targeted several areas of the towns of (Al Sukkariya, Al Bagouz and Al Suwayyah), with most of the raids focusing on the village of al Soussa, killing a whole family of six people and injuring others,’ said Faisal al-Sayed, a resident of Albu Kamal city”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that it could not tell whether the planes responsible belonged to Russia or the Coalition.

SMO was alone in alleging that the regime carried out several strikes, killing a displaced family.

The incident occured around dawn.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Soussa (السوسة), for which the coordinates are: 34.528889, 40.9675. Satellite imagery available to Airwars from Oct. 13,  2017, shows structural damage to a building in the area, for which the coordinates are: 34.516166, 40.951635.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Civilian housing which was allegedly targeted by either Coalition or Russian warplanes. 30th October 2017. (via Euphrates)

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 al-Soussa, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 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 30th-31st: “Near Abu Kamal, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroying a vehicle and an ISIS headquarters. Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units.“

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
    5 – 6
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (17) [ collapse]