Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1874

Incident date

December 16, 2018

Location

البوخاطر, Al Boukhater: Salahudin al Ayubi mosque, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.673807, 40.871887 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Coalition airstrike caused the destruction of the Salahudin al Ayubi mosque in Al-Boukhater and killed between 4 and 19 civilians, in what was described “a new massacre”. According to most local sources, 17 civilians were killed in the attack. However one source said that 13 of the dead were ISIS fighters.

Syrian state news agency Sana News was the only source that reported Coalition shelling on local houses in Al-Boukhater village “causing material damage to houses and properties”. It added that among the 17 victims were women and children.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a total of 17 people died of whom 13 were members of ISIS and four were family members of Iraqi nationality.

The Observatory also noted that it “did not know whether [the strike was] by the International Alliance or Iraqi forces.” Since Iraqi airstrikes within Syria were generally classed as Coalition actions at this point, Airwars has not flagged this as a contested case.

Radio Kull was the only source that put the death toll at 19 people.

Dozens were also reported injured.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 19
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Destruction of the al-Boukhater mosque, reported target in an alleged Coalition airstrike (via Marsad Al Hasaka).
  • Destruction of the al-Boukhater mosque, reported target in an alleged Coalition airstrike (via Marsad Al Hasaka).
  • Destruction of the al-Boukhater mosque, reported target in an alleged Coalition airstrike (via Marsad Al Hasaka).
  • Destruction of the al-Boukhater mosque, reported target in an alleged Coalition airstrike (via Marsad Al Hasaka).
  • Destruction of the al-Boukhater mosque, reported target in an alleged Coalition airstrike (via Marsad Al Hasaka).
  • Destruction of the al-Boukhater mosque, reported target in an alleged Coalition airstrike (via Suriye UAD).

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

NOTE: The Coalition abandoned its 52-month record of reporting the location and dates of its air and artillery strikes in late December 2019.

Between Dec. 16 and Dec. 29, CJTF-OIR conducted 469 strikes consisting of 1,001 engagements in Syria, and conducted nine strikes consisting of 14 engagements in Iraq.

In Syria, 469 strikes engaged 666 ISIS tactical units, and destroyed 291 fighting positions, 153 staging areas, 67 supply routes, 27 command and control nodes, 27 petroleum oil lubricant storage facilities, 25 vehicles, 14 tunnels, 14 weapons cache, 13 improvised explosive device facilities, seven heavy weapons systems, six pieces of heavy equipment, seven buildings, five petroleum oil and lubricant tankers, five bridges, four armored vehicles, two caves, two vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, two motorcycles, two vehicle borne improvised explosive device facilities, three mortar launching sites, one boat, one barge, and one unmanned aircraft system; and damaged seven fighting positions, four staging areas, two vehicles, one armored vehicle, one command and control node and one heavy weapon system; and suppressed 70 fighting positions, 12 vehicles, 10 staging areas and one armored vehicles.

Dutch Military
  • English
    /
    Original

For 12th-18th Dec, Dutch F16s supported ground troops in 9 missions; weapons were deployed in 8 in Abu Kamal. Attacks were carried out on vehicles, logistics warehouses and ISIS fighters. Dutch F16s will fly until Dec 31st when the mandate for Dutch participation ends.

In de strijd tegen ISIS ondersteunden Nederlandse F-16’s grondtroepen tijdens 9 missies. Bij 8 werden wapens ingezet. Een overzicht van Defensieoperaties in de week van 12 t/m 18 december. De toestellen kwamen in actie boven de Syrische provincie Deir al Zour bij Abu Kamal. Hierbij zijn voertuigen, logistieke opslagplaatsen en strijders van ISIS aangevallen. Het F-16-detachement vliegt voor de anti-ISIS-coalitie nog tot en met 31 december. Daarna loopt het mandaat voor Nederlandse deelname af.

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

Sunday 16 December – Reapers and Typhoons carried out seven attacks on Daesh to the south-east of Hajin, hitting nine targets... The following day [Dec 16th], a Reaper spotted a large group of extremists advancing towards the SDF. The Reaper helped disrupt this attempted attack with a series of three Hellfire and one GBU-12 engagements – among the targets struck was a light machine-gun team firing on the SDF – and also provided surveillance support to other coalition aircraft. A second Reaper worked with a pair of Typhoons over a nearby area; the Reaper struck a number of Daesh with a Hellfire, whilst the Typhoons conducted two attacks, hitting four Daesh-held buildings.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

From Dec 12th - 18th, France report that Task Force Wagram carried out 24 'shooting missions". Additionally, there were five airstrikes in the Hajin region, Syria.

CHAMMAL SITUATION MILITAIRE DU THEATRE Offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech en Syrie Dans la moyenne vallée de l’Euphrate, les forces démocratiques syriennes (FDS) ont libéré une grande partie de la ville d’Hajine et poursuivent leur progression méthodique dans cette zone de façon à s’assurer que Daech ne sera pas en mesure d’agir sur leurs arrières. Poursuite des actions de sécurisation en Irak En Irak, la situation est inchangée : Daech, qui est retourné à la clandestinité, conserve une capacité de nuisance, notamment sur le plateau d’Hawija. Les opérations des forces de sécurité irakiennes se poursuivent, avec un effort marqué à la frontière pour contrer toute tentative d’action de Daech depuis la Syrie. ACTIVITE DE LA FORCE Le dispositif français déployé au Levant n’a pas évolué. La Task Force Wagram en appui de l’offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech présentes dans la vallée de l’Euphrate La Task Force (TF) Wagram appuie les forces démocratiques syriennes contre Daech dans la région d’Hajine. La TF Wagram a réalisé, depuis le territoire irakien, 24 missions de tir (21 éclairement, 3 destruction – bilan du 12 au 18 décembre inclus). Depuis le début de son engagement, la Task Force Wagram a réalisé 2350 missions de tirs. Les bases aériennes en Jordanie et aux EAU en appui des opérations Les aéronefs français basés en Jordanie et aux Émirats arabes unis poursuivent leurs actions contre Daech, au sein de la coalition. Cette semaine, les aéronefs de l’opération Chammal ont réalisé 20 sorties aériennes (bilan du 12 au 18 décembre inclus). Les Rafale ont conduit 5 frappes cette semaine dans la région d’Hajine, sur des combattants de Daech. Bilan total de l’action du pilier appui aérien depuis le 19/09/14 : 8728 sorties / 1494 frappes / 2299 objectifs neutralisés. Les Task Forces Monsabert et Narvik poursuivent leurs missions de formation La Task Force (TF) Monsabert poursuit sa mission d’assistance et de conseil de l’état-major de la 6ème division irakienne, qui est en charge de la sécurisation de l’ouest du grand Bagdad. Elle conseille également ponctuellement les brigades qui lui sont subordonnées. Elle a, à ce titre, conduit une mission d’expertise visant à améliorer la sécurisation du stockage des munitions d’une brigade irakienne. La TF Narvik, poursuit sa mission de formation et de conseil de l’Iraki Counter Terrorism Service (ICTS). Depuis début décembre, 300 stagiaires de la 2ème école de l’ICTS - école de spécialité de l’ICTS - sont entrés dans la phase dite « integration phase » qui vise à évaluer la capacité des stagiaires à restituer l’ensemble des savoir-faire qui leur ont été transmis, dans des situations tactiques et techniques complexes et diverses. Cette phase d’examen est également l’occasion pour les instructeurs français de parfaire la capacité des moniteurs irakiens à conduire ce genre d’évaluation pédagogique de grande ampleur.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 19
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (13) [ collapse]