Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1955

Location

العزبة, Al Azbat, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.321848, 40.307980
Accuracy: Neighbourhood/area
Sections

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

A 7-year-old child was killed and his mother and brother were injured when an alleged US-led Coalition mortar shell hit the family’s home in the town of Al Azbat, Deir Ezzor governorate, on January 9th, 2021. Local sources reported that the incident occured during a military training near the Coalition base near the Koniko oil field.

According to a Euphrates Post correspondent, “a mortar shell landed in a house in the vicinity of the Koniko oil field base, east of Deir Ezzor, during training of the American forces.” The source added that the “the shell landed in the house of the civilian Hani Hussein Al Toukan, killing his son Ahed and seriously injuring his wife and other son, Fahed.” The US forces reportedly brought the victims to a nearby medical point.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights wrote that “a child was killed and his mother was injured, as a result of an unknown explosion near their house in the Azbat area north of Deir Ezzor city, Koniku Oil, where the International Coalition forces and the SDF conduct joint military exercises.”

Several other sources wrote that the civilian house was targeted. @SyriawatanNews, for example, tweeted that “the ‘American occupation’ forces present in the Koniko oil field targeted the town of Ezbet in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor with mortar shells, killing a child and wounding others.”

@SalamaAlhussein tweeted that it was not the village of Al Azbat that was hit, but the village of Khasham. All other sources mentioned Al Azbat village.

In a civilian casualty assessment released April 16th 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.”

Victims

Family members (3)

Wife of Hani Hussein Al Toukan زوجت هاني حسين الطوكان
Adult female mother of Ahed Hani Al Toukan injured

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Artillery
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
1
1 Child
Civilians reported injured
2
1 Child, 1 Woman

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Azbat (العزبة) area, south of the Conoco Oil Refinery, for which the generic coordinates are: 35.321848, 40.307980. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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Military Statements

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
No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
in al Azbat, Syria
MGRS coordinate
37SFV188095
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2021-04-16
Original Source ↗
Jan. 9, 2021, in al Azbat, 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. 3293/CS1955 37SFV188095

Media from Sources (2)

Sources (14)

Euphrates Post ↗

Arabic

Shaam News Network ↗

Arabic

Syrian News Station ↗

Arabic

@alhadathsyria ↗

Twitter Arabic

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ↗

Arabic

Mulhak ↗

Arabic

@alighorashi1 ↗

Twitter Arabic

@SyriawatanNews ↗

Twitter Arabic

@SalamaAlhussein ↗

Twitter Arabic

@alosbou ↗

Twitter Arabic

@almehwartoday ↗

Twitter Arabic

@Mhktrs ↗

Twitter Arabic

@ff037F06maB1ZYQ ↗

Twitter Arabic

Coalition casualty assessment (April 2021) ↗

English