Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1765

Location

منطقة تل الجاير:خويبيرة, Tal al Jair (or Tal Safouk), Khwuweibra village school, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.0183335, 40.9484911
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1594)

According to several sources, ten or eighteen civilians, including women and children, were allegedly killed in a Coalition airstrike on the village of Khuweibra in the Tal al Jair area.

Eye on al Hasaka reported in a Facebook post that “The International Coalition committed a new massacre in the Tal Al Jair area”. An individual in the comment section stated that the Khuweibra school, housing Iraqi refugees, was hit. According to the individual, 18 civilians were killed.

This was later reiterated by several sources, among others by SANA (the official Syrian regime outlet), which stated that “18 civilians, mostly children and women, were killed in a new massacre committed by the warplanes of US-led international coalition in Khoibra village”.

Marsad al Hasaka, Step News Agency and Shaam News reported a lower tally of 10 killed. Marsad al Hasaka also published several images of destruction related to the event, which were attributed to Step News. However the stated village was Tal Safouk.

Shaam News also quoted Coalition spokesman Colonel Sean Ryan who stated that: “We did not detect the injury or death of any civilians as a result of the coalition strikes in Al-Hasakah today”. However, this statement was made regarding strikes that took place on June 11th, whereas the civilian casualty incident in Khuweibra reportedly took place during the night of June 7th or the early hours of June 8th. @CJTFOIR did confirm Iraqi and Coalition artillery targeting the area.

In the first of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Civilians reported killed
10–18
2–6 Children, 2–6 Women
Civilians reported injured
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention a school in the village of Khuwaybira (خويبيرا), for which the coordinates are: 36.0183335, 40.9484911. On satellite imagery of June 19, 2018, no destroyed school or building is visible

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
MGRS coordinate
37SFV755877
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For June 7th, the Coalition reported that “On June 7 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes consisting of 12 engagements against Daesh targets... Near Al Shadaddi, three strikes destroyed two Daesh supply routes and one Daesh line of communication."
French Military Strike Report
For June 6th – 12th, France report that Task Force Wagram conducted 32 artillery shooting missions in support of the ongoing offensive in the Euphrates Valley. Additionally, 22 aerial sorties were conducted in support of local forces engaged on the ground; there were no strikes.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2020-09-09
Original Source
June 7-8, 2018, in Kwuweibra, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3171/CS1765 37SFV755877

Media From Sources (9)