Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1686

Incident date

November 26, 2017

Location

الشعفة, al Sha'afa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.57888, 40.93441 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 65 civilians including 20 or 21 children and nine women died in a major casualty event in al Sha’afa, local media reported. There was one allegation against the US-led Coalition, and also Egypt.

The majority of sources blamed Russia, with @7UFCmSxd0IUBffH saying that a family of 10 were among those killed.

Euphrates Post, also blaming Russia, said that the strike targeted the house of Antar ِAl Salama and Mujama’a Al Fendi. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that of the 44 who died 20 were children and 9 were women.

Sharqiya Voice reported several raids by unidentified warplanes, which struck the following locations: Antar Alsamal’s house, the house of Zubair, the Al-Fandi Commercial Complex.

Euphrates Post later reported that the death toll had risen to 51, while the Syrian Observatory put it at 53 including 21 children. It named the following victims. Names have identified 42 and 8 were unidentified.

However, Raqqa Post, also attributing the event to Russia, said that as many as 65 had died.

According to a BBC report, Russia denied responsibility for the event, with the defence ministry noting: “The Russian Aerospace Forces’ strikes in Syria target areas outside population centres, and only facilities of the international terrorist groups… The reports by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Great Britain, about the alleged strikes by the Russian Aerospace Forces’ planes on the village of al-Shafah, are yet another fake.

Only one source pointed towards the Coalition. According to Zamanalwasl, Salama al Hussein from Euphrates Post told Zaman al-Wasl that an air strike carried out by aircraft believed to belong to the international coalition forces or Egyptian aircraft took place at dawn today on the compound of Alfandi in the town of Deir al-Zour. It claimed the lives of about 30 civilians and wounded dozens. The source said that the death toll was expected to rise due to the numbers of people trapped under the rubble.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

female via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
Adult female via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed

Family members (4)

female via Euphrates Post killed
female via Euphrates Post killed
female via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed

Family members (10)

male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed

Family members (2)

female via Euphrates Post killed
female via Euphrates Post killed

Family members (7)

male via Euphrates Post killed
via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post injured

Family members (4)

male via Euphrates Post killed
female via Euphrates Post killed
female via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed

Family members (6)

male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed
male via Euphrates Post killed

The victims were named as:

Age unknown female via Euphrates Post killed
Age unknown male via Euphrates Post
Age unknown female via Euphrates Post

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Sha’afa (الشعفة), for which the coordinates are: 34.57888, 40.93441. The alleged Coalition strike targeted the Al Fandi (الفندي) residential complex, the location of which is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    42 – 65
  • (20–21 children9 women9–12 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–36
  • 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

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A tweet contains an image shows the aftermath of the air strike on al Sha'afa, on November 26, 2017 (via @7UFCmSxd0IUBffH)
  • A picture of one of the victim, who killed following strikes on al Sha'afa, Deir Ez-Zor, on November 26, 2017
  • A picture of one of the victims, who were killed following strikes on al Sha'afa, Deir Ez-Zor, on November 26, 2017

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
    al Sha'afa, Deir Ez-Zor
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU774280
    Military Grid Reference System

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 25th-26th, the Coalition reported: “Near Abu Kamal, five strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units and destroyed four ISIS vehicles and a headquarters.”

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    42 – 65
  • (20–21 children9 women9–12 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–36
  • 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

Sources (18) [ collapse]