Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1676

Incident date

November 18, 2017

Location

ابو حمام, Abu Haman, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.827222, 40.665278 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Euphrates Post, the Syrian Democratic Forces carried out an artillery bombardment on Abu Hamam. It said that there had been civilian casualties but didn’t specify a number.

Al Qouriya Media Center provided some more detail. It reported that “artillery shelling targeted a family from al-Qouriya, the family of Hussein al-Ali al-Sayer al-Hamad. There were initial reports of a number of casualties, including the death of Yasser Hussin al-Ali al-Sayer al Hamad, and injury to other family members”. The source didn’t say who carried out the shelling.

Activists told the Smart News Agency that the “SDF used artillery shells on residential neighborhoods in the town (75 km east of Deir al-Azur), east of the Euphrates River on Saturday, killing a civilian and wounding his family”.

The SDF is not known to have had access to its own artillery – indicating that this was a Coalition action. However, a report by Sada said that one civilian was killed and others wounded as a result of the SDF using “rocket-propelled grenades”.

 

The incident was first reported on November 18, 2017 at 9:00 am by .

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

the family of Hussein al-Ali al-Sayer al-Hamad
killed

The victims were named as:

Yasser Hussin al-Ali al-Sayer al Hamad
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Abu Hamam (ابو حمام), for which the coordinates are: 34.827222, 40.665278

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–13
  • 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 Democratic Forces

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Yasser al-Husayn al-Ali al-Sayer, killed in an alleged artillery bombardment by thee SDF on Abu Hamam, Nov 18th (via Euphrates Post)

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

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 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 November 17th-18th, the Coalition reported: “Near Abu Kamal, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a VBIED, a tactical vehicle and an ISIS construction vehicle. Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.”

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–13
  • 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 Democratic Forces

Sources (9) [ collapse]