Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USYEMTr188

Incident date

February 20, 2019

Location

المنطقة العسكرية الأولى ,سيئون, The First Military Zone, Seiyun, Hadramaut, Yemen

Geolocation

15.945407673, 48.787047759 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two local-language sources suggested that at least one US drone strike had taken place in Hadramout governorate on February 20th 2019. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Security sources told Aden 24 that a US drone flew low over the “first military zone in Sayyoun Hadramout”, and attempted to target two “terrorist elements”, including a senior leader. According to these sources, anti-aircraft fire targeted the drone, which responded by firing a warning shot in the area. It was unclear whether the drone killed anybody in the strike, or if it succeeded in targeting the mentioned “terrorist elements”.

A second local-language Twitter source, @VsQnjYon47ZepdJ, suggested that three alleged AQAP militants were killed by a US drone strike in Wadi Hadramout, which also wounded nearby soldiers. Airwars has therefore assessed that three belligerents were reportedly killed, and at least two were reportedly injured.

It is possible that these sources describe discrete events.

In a later press release, US Central Command did not assert that any US military strikes had taken place in February 2019.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the The First Military Zone (المنطقة العسكرية الأولى) being struck, within the city of Seiyun (سيئون), Hadramout (حضرموت) governorate. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Seiyun are: 15.945407673, 48.787047759.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]