Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USYEM023-N

Incident date

July 14, 2011

Location

بين زنجبار‎ و شقرة, Between Zinjibar and Shaqra, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.2476458, 45.530709 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An airstrike on a car targeted Fahd al Qusaa, also known as Quso, an al Qaeda leader and suspect in the USS Cole bombing. It was a US attack, according to the New York Times quoting an AQAP representative. He claimed that Qusaa had left the car minutes earlier and was unharmed.

According to the Long War Journal, Qusaa was being sheltered by the Awlaki tribe, and was allegedly involved in the failed AQAP airline bombing attack over Detroit on Christmas Day, 2009. Yemeni journalist Nasser Arrabyee claimed that the car was travelling between Shakra and Zinjibar in Abyan Province.

This incident was identified by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and has been included in Airwars’ database even though no casualties are mentioned.

The incident occured around dawn.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck between the village of Shaqra (شقرة) and the city of Zinjibar (زنجبار‎ ). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for this middle point are: 13.2476458, 45.530709.

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Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (4) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Yemeni Air Force Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Yemeni Air Force
  • Yemeni Air Force position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (4) [ collapse]