Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1773

Incident date

June 16, 2018

Location

تل الجاير, Tal al Jair, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.033926, 41.0987592 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Marsad al Hassaka and An Eye on al Hassaka, two young men were killed and three others were injured (two severely) in a mortar shelling on the village of Tal al Jair by “Kurdish units”.

According to both sources, all five civilians harmed were from the same family. It is important to note that the reports were apparent carbon copies of each other, and are therefore counted as a single source by Airwars.

On June 17th, the SDF confirmed that its forces “liberated the town of Dashishah in the southern town of Hasaka completely from a terrorist organization.” Multiple local sources confirmed that SDF now controlled most of the main strongholds, including Tal al Jair, in the southern region of Hasakah. However, none of the reports made mention of civilian harm.

While both sources attributed the event to mortars, it appeared possible that the action may have instead involved artillery. The US-led Coalition has however denied responsibility, and publicly reported no strikes in the governorate that day.

The incident was first reported on June 16, 2018 at 7:00 pm by .

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tal al Jair, for which the coordinates are: 36.033926, 41.0987592

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Democratic Forces, US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

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

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 Tel al-Jayer, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV784884
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 25, 2018
  • June 16, 2018, near Tel al-Jayer, Syria, via Airwars. 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 June 16th, the Coalition did not publicly report any airstrikes in the Hasakah governorate.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Democratic Forces, US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]