Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1804

Location

هجين, Hajin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.6897222, 40.83
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1665)

According to local reports, a Coalition drone or air strike – or possibly a mortar strike by local US proxies the SDF – killed a woman and her two children in the town of Hajin in Deir Ezzor governorate.

Euphrates Post named the victims as the wife of Khaled Al-Hajij and her two daughters [named as Ruqayya and Noura Khaled al Hjeij by the Syrian Network]. However while Euphrates Post described multiple air and drone strikes on the town that day, both it along with Deir Ezzor 24 and the Syrian Human Rights Committee blamed the civilian deaths on an SDF mortar round. Free Deir Ezzor Radio and Step News instead said the deaths had resulted from a Coalition airstrike.

In a possibly related event, Smart News reported a local source as saying that “a UAV aircraft of the coalition targeted a house on the outskirts of the city taken by Daesh as a headquarters, which led to the death of eight of its members and wounded several others.”

In the second 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 the allegation provided insufficient information on the timing and location of the strike to make a determination.

Victims

Family members (3)

Wife of Khaled Al-Hajij
Adult female Mother of two child victims killed
Ruqayya Khaled al Hjeij
Child female killed
Noura Khaled al Hjeij
Child female killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
3
2 Children, 1 Woman

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hajin (هجين), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.6897222, 40.83. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Democratic Forces
Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
Not yet assessed
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
Insufficient information on the time and location
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
MGRS coordinate
37SFU676401
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For October 4th 2018, the US-led Coalition reported the following: “On Oct. 4 in Syria, coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes consisting of 12 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, 10 strikes engaged 15 tactical units, and destroyed one command and control center, one vehicle-borne IED, one piece of heavy equipment, two mortars, one vehicle, two supply routes and suppressed two staging areas.”
UK Military Strike Report
‘Thursday 4 October – Tornados supported a Syrian Democratic Forces attack on a Daesh position, destroying a truck-bomb, a strong-point and an improvised explosive device facility…The following day [Oct 4th], an SDF attack on a Daesh position encountered a truck-bomb which was blocking their advance towards a terrorist strong-point in a nearby building. Tornados destroyed the truck-bomb using a Brimstone missile, then demolished the strong-point with a Paveway IV. Another building in the area was then identified as not only Daesh-held, but a probable facility for further improvised truck-bombs. This target was also destroyed with a Paveway IV.’
French Military Strike Report
For October 3rd-9th, France report that the three CAESAR guns of TF Wagram carried out 18 shooting missions from Iraq. In the same week, aircraft conducted three strikes north of Abu Kamal in Syria.
Dutch Military Strike Report
For October 3rd-10th, Dutch F-16s supported ground troops in Syria during nine missions. Weapons were deployed during two missions. The weapons deployment took place in the province of Deir Ezzor, in the vicinity of Abu Kamal. ISIS weapons, a logistics warehouse and ISIS fighters targeted.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2020-09-09
Original Source
Oct. 4, 2018, in Hajin, Syria, via Airwars report. The report contains insufficient information on time, location, or details to assess its credibility. 3193/CS1804 37SFU676401

Media From Sources (1)