Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1926

Incident date

August 1, 2019

Location

قرية بكعة في تل حميس, Baka`a Village in the area of Tal Hamis, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.75514, 41.399094 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians were reported killed by an alleged Coalition action in Baka`a Village, Al Hasaka, on August 1st.

Al Khabour News reported that: “The International Coalition forces, backed by elements of the Democratic Unionist Party (BYD), committed a massacre in which six people, including children and women, were killed in the village of Beka`a in the area of ​​Tal Hamis in the province of Hasaka.”

The Khabour correspondent stated: “Two aircraft belonging to the International Alliance landed in the village of Beka`a, before heavy machine guns and rockets hit several houses in the village [….].The bombing led to the death of an entire Iraqi family, after the collapse of the house over their heads.”

According to this source, Coalition forces “withdrew immediately after the destruction of the house, without retrieving any bodies.”

Meanwhile, NSyria News reported that “the anti-terrorist forces of the Syrian Democratic Forces carried out an aerial landing operation supported by the International Coalition in the countryside of the town of Tal Hamis in northern Syria.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “that the anti-terrorism forces, with the support of the international Coalition, carried out an air landing near the Syrian-Iraqi border in the town of Tal Hamis in the countryside of the province of Hasaka.

“The Syrian Observatory confirmed that two members of the family of one of the ‘Islamic State’ cells in the region were arrested, in addition to the sources of weapons in their possession.”

In a civilian casualty assessment released July 10th 2021, the Coalition classed this event as ‘non credible’, claiming that “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.”

The incident occured during the night.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Baka’a (بكعة) within the area surrounding the town of Tal Hamis (تل حميس). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The coordinates for Tal Hamis are: 36.75514, 41.399094

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • "The operation resulted in the arrest of Sabah Ali Muhammad and Razzaq Ali Muhammad. They found pistols, magazines, hand grenades and electronic devices used in terrorist operations." (via Vedeng News)

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SGA141703
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 10, 2021
  • Aug. 1, 2019, in al Hasaka, 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. 3280/CS1926 37SGA141703

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]