Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4388

Incident date

January 31, 2020

Location

سراقب, Saraqeb, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A Syria Civil Defense center in Saraqib, Idlib in Syria was put out of service allegedly because of Russian forces or Syrian regime  airstrikes that targeted it, injuring up to seven volunteers on January 31st, 2020, according to local sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that “fixed-wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles on a building of Civil Defense (consists of headquarter of Saraqeb district and a Civil Defense center) in Saraqeb city in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate, injuring six members of Civil Defense, severely destroying its building and damaging its equipment on January 31st.”

Syrian Civil Defense said that “Our heroic #WhiteHelmets were keeping vigil at their center in #Saraqib sector in #Idlib when it was targeted by Russian airstrikes, rendering the centre out of service. Our six humanitarian workers were injured in the strike but recovering.”

Barrel bombs and vacuum missiles were launched upon the town of Saraqib according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights. The first report of four wounded was later raised to seven, and all were volunteers for the Syrian Civil Defense Center.

In the town of Saraqib, the Syrian Network for Human rights detailed how Russian missiles struck the command building of the Syrian Civil Defense Center. The building was largely destroyed and much of the equipment ruined.

It was reported that Russian fixed wing jets dropped barrel bombs and vacuum missiles upon Saraqib with the support of pro-Assad forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • SCD volunteers got injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via @ShahbaPress).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via MMC).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via MMC).
    An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via MMC).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • An SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on their center in Saraqib on January 31st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • Image of the destruction of SCD Saraqib Center by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Jan 31st, 2020 (via SNHR)
  • One of the Civil Defense volunteers being treated for injuries from strikes on Saraqeb on January 31, 2020. (Image posted by @EyadHoms20)
  • One of the Civil Defense volunteers being treated for injuries from strikes on Saraqeb on January 31, 2020. (Image posted by @EyadHoms20)
  • One of the Civil Defense volunteers being treated for injuries from strikes on Saraqeb on January 31, 2020. (Image posted by @EyadHoms20)
  • Civil Defense volunteers being treated for injuries from strikes on Saraqeb on January 31, 2020. (Image posted by @EyadHoms20)
  • Civil Defense volunteers whose headquarters was hit with airstrikes in Saraqeb on January 31, 2020. (Image posted by @MoslemSayedEs)
  • Civil Defense members after surviving a Russian bombing of their center in Saraqib on January 31, 2020. (Image posted by @fawaz_jwaid)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4387

Incident date

January 30, 2020

Location

بلدات متعددة, Several towns, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Shaam Network reported that “Russian and Assad warplanes launched dozens of airstrikes targeting the areas of Ariha, Jisr al-Shughur, Saraqib, Kafrbikh, Ahsim and Nayrab in Idlib, Syria, on January 30th, 2020, causing civilian casualties.”

No further details are available at the moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4386

Incident date

January 30, 2020

Location

الجانوديه, Al Janoudiya, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A child was wounded on January 30th 2020 during a bombing raid in the town of Al Janoudiya. The young girl was the only reported casualty of this raid.

The victim, identified as Rua’a Ghazal, was wounded under her left eye, as reported by Smart News and locals tweeting about the event.

The bombing took place north of Jisr Al-Shughur in the town Al Janoudiya with significant damage to civilian property as well as the destruction of several of the town’s main roads, according to local sources.

Shaam Network said that Russian forces and Syrian regime forces launched many airstrikes in the area on that day, while SMART Agency reported that “a child was wounded by missile strikes that targeted the town of Al-Janoudiya near Jisr al-Shughour, west of Idlib, from the headquarters of the regime forces in Jurin and Jabal al-Akrad, which caused great damage to civilian property and sabotaged some of the main roads in the area.”

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Rua'a Ghazal رؤى غزال
Child female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Rou'a Ghazal was injured in alleged Russian airstrikes or Syrian regime artillery attack on Al-Janoudiya, Idlib on January 30th, 2020 (via Jisr Al Shughour Media Center).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    SCD volunteer with Rou'a Ghazal, the child who was injured in alleged Russian airstrikes or Syrian regime artillery attack on Al-Janoudiya, Idlib on January 30th, 2020 (via Jisr Al Shughour Media Center).

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4385

Incident date

January 30, 2020

Location

مجدليا, Majdalia, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

SMART Agency reported from the Syrian Civil Defense that that seven civilians including a woman were wounded as a result of Russian forces airstrikes on Majdalia village in Idlib, Syria on January 30th, 2020.

No further details are available at the moment.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4382

Incident date

January 29, 2020

Location

سراقب, Saraqeb, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed and another injured in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime forces airstrikes on a market in Saraqib city center, or on displaced people in the outskirts of Saraqib on January 29th, 2020 according to local sources.

On January 29th, 2020, Edlib Media Center reported “A martyr and several wounded people, due to rocket attacks, targeting the market of the city of Saraqib, east of Idlib.”, but Step Agency said “One man was killed and two were wounded as a result of the Syrian regime forces’ warplanes targeting displaced civilians on the outskirts of Saraqeb.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “Abdul Rahman Abdullah Kafrtouni was killed as Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes fired missiles on the main market in the middle of Saraqeb city in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on January 29, 2020.”. On February 2nd 2020, the network said that another civilian died because of injuries sustained on January 29th in Saraqib city. “Mu’taz Adnan al Darwish died on February 2, due to wounds sustained on January 29th, as Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes fired missiles on the main market in Saraqeb city in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate.”

Ariha Today said the shelling happened with ‘explosive container from a helicopter’ and @baladinetwork reported that barrel bombs were used in the attack.

@ShahbaPress, Macro Media Center, Edlib Media Center, Step Agency and Ariha Today blamed the Syrian regime while Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Shaam Network blamed both Russia and the regime and @thawrat111 attributed the strikes to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Rahman Abdullah Kafrtouni
Age unknown male killed
Mu’taz Adnan al Darwish
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • "Mu’taz Adnan al Darwish died on February 2, due to wounds sustained on January 29, as Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes fired missiles on the main market in Saraqeb city in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate.". (via SNHR)
  • "The destruction caused by targeting downtown Saraqib with an explosive container by helicopter." (via Ariha Today).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of Abdul Rahman Abdullah Kafrtouni, killed in strikes on Saraqeb on January 29, 2020. (Image posted by Saraqeb deaths via Facebook)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM273

Incident date

January 29, 2020

Location

Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

0.494527, 42.777868 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The chief spokesman of the Somali government, Ismael Mukhtar Omar, reported in a tweet that an al Shabaab compound in Jilib had been destroyed by a US airstrike. AFRICOM did not declare the strike at the time, though did later confirm the action on February 3rd/4th.

According to Omar’s initial tweet, “In the early morning of January 29th, The Federal Government of Somalia in coordination with and supported by the US Government, conducted an airstrike inside the al-Shabaab-controlled city of Jilib. One al-Shabaab occupied compound was destroyed in the strike.”

Omar also noted that “This week has seen a number of successful military operations in and around the al Shabaab stronghold of Jilib.”

Along with a declared US strike on the town on January 27th, this indicated additional joint Somali-US actions in the area around this time.

AFRICOM confirmed this on February 3rd, issuing a press release which noted that “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a series of operations to disrupt al-Shabaab terrorists in various locations in southern Somalia, Jan. 23-29…

“As a result of these operations we currently assess that one (1) al-Shabaab terrorist was killed in the vicinity of Jilib and two (2) al-Shabaab compounds were destroyed; one in Jamaame and one in Jilib. Due to operational security and force protection considerations, it prevented issuing a press release immediately. ‘We assess these compounds were used by al-Shabaab militants to organize and plan violent terrorist actions against innocent Somali citizens,’ said Hadfield. We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of these airstrikes.”

Responding to a request for clarification on dates, an AFRICOM official told Airwars by email on February 4th that “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab operations in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia, on Jan. 29.  As a result of this airstrike, we currently assess that one (1) al-Shabaab terrorist was killed and one (1) al-Shabaab compounds were destroyed.”

The incident occured between 12:01 am and 5:00 am local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • CBA TV: 'Air strike targets Alshabab occupied compound in southern Somalia'

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jilib, for which the coordinates are: 0.494527, 42.777868

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a series of operations to disrupt al-Shabaab terrorists in various locations in southern Somalia, Jan. 23-29.
"U.S. forces, working in partnership with the FGS, continue to limit al-Shabaab's ability to hold territory seized from the legitimate government of Somalia and use it as a safe space for plotting terrorist attacks," said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Hadfield, deputy director of intelligence. "Operations to disrupt al-Shabaab are needed to deny their ability to expand terrorism outside of Somalia as we've recently seen in Kenya."
As a result of these operations we currently assess that one (1) al-Shabaab terrorist was killed in the vicinity of Jilib and two (2) al-Shabaab compounds were destroyed; one in Jamaame and one in Jilib. Due to operational security and force protection considerations, it prevented issuing a press release immediately.
"We assess these compounds were used by al-Shabaab militants to organize and plan violent terrorist actions against innocent Somali citizens," said Hadfield.
We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of these airstrikes. We continue to take significant measures to comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict during the course of our operations to ensure the safety of civilians.
Somalia remains key to the security environment of East Africa, and its long-term stability is important to advancing U.S. interests in the region. U.S. actions are synchronized with the African Union Mission in Somalia's (AMISOM) mandate to reduce threats and support stabilization, reconciliation, and peacebuilding.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS407

Incident date

January 29, 2020

Location

تل رفعت, Tell Rifaat, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.472183, 37.094334 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “a child was killed by artillery shelling of the Turkish Forces carried out from areas controlled by their loyal factions. The shelling targeted Tall Rifaat town within areas of deployment of the Kurdish forces north of Aleppo on January 29th, 2020.”

No further details are available at the moment.

The incident was first reported on January 30, 2020 at 12:54 am by Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tell Rifaat (تل رفعت), for which the coordinates are: 36.472183, 37.094334

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr221

Incident date

January 29, 2020

Location

الحصن المشرف, Al Hosson Al Mashrif, Al Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.79646, 45.04077 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US drone strike reportedly killed AQAP leaders Qasim Al-Raymi and Abu Al-Baraa Al-Ibbi as they travelled in a car through Yakla, Bayda governorate, on January 29th 2020. This was one of three alleged January strikes in which Qasim al-Raymi was reportedly killed – with his death in one of those actions later confirmed by both the US government and AQAP. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

A source “familiar with AQAP’s operations inside Yemen” and a local security source told Al-Masdar Online that Al-Raymi had been killed in this strike. Local residents told Al-Masdar that the attack took place in the village of Al-Hosson Al-Mashrif, and that AQAP militants had then prevented local media and activists from accessing the site.

Similarly, according to reports in The Yemen and 4May, sources told Okaz News that Al-Raymi and Al-Ibbi were killed by the strike at noon, as they arrived at a site controlled by AQAP. The original Okaz article could not be found by Airwars.

Responding to local reports, academic Dr Elisabeth Kendall noted that Al-Ibbi was an “articulate and active” AQAP jurist.

Throughout late January and early February 2020, numerous local-language and English-language sources reported that al-Raymi had been killed by a US strike at the end of January. These variously indicated that he was killed by one of two alleged strikes in the Wadi Obeida, Marib, on January 25th (USYEMTr218) or January 27th (USYEMTr219-C); or by this alleged strike in Bayda on January 29th.

Given that the first known reports of al-Raymi’s death also emerged on January 29th, post-dating the alleged strikes in which he was reported to have died, it was impossible to reasonably exclude the possibility that he died in any of these three reported incidents.

On February 6th, a White House statement confirmed that al-Raymi had been killed by a January strike, but did not specify where or when he had died. “This was not a [Department of Defense] operation”, a US Pentagon official told Politico.  A former US official told Foreign Policy that the strike was conducted by a CIA aircraft.

US Central Command told Airwars that no US military strikes were conducted in Yemen during January 2020, effectively confirming that the strike that killed Al-Raymi was a CIA operation.

Al-Raymi had been the leader of AQAP since 2015, having been a founding member of the group in 2006.  On February 23rd 2020, AQAP confirmed that al-Raymi had died, and announced Khalid Batarfi as its new leader, according to Dr Elisabeth Kendall (@Dr_E_Kendall).

The incident occured around midday.

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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (52) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]

  • Qasim al-Raymi, the leader of AQAP, was alleged to have been killed in the strike (@Rita_Katz, January 30th 2020)
  • The strike was one of three alleged US actions in January which reportedly killed Al-Raymi (@NATSEC09, January 31st 2020)
  • The US State Department had previously offered $10 million for information leading to Al-Raymi's capture (New York Times, January 31st 2020)
  • On February 1st, an apparently pre-recorded message from Al-Raymi claimed responsibility for the December 2019 Pensacola naval base shooting (@Dr_E_Kendall, February 1st 2020)
  • In a tweet, academic Dr Elisabeth Kendall pointed out that a February 1st video of Al-Raymi omitted "the usual "May Allah protect him"... which would have shown he's alive" (@Dr_E_Kendall, February 2nd 2020)
  • Al-Raymi had been leader of AQAP since 2015, after his predecessor was killed by a US drone strike (@englishsssn, January 31st 2020)
  • Al-Raymi was confirmed to have been killed by the White House on February 6th 2020 (BBC Monitoring, January 31st 2020)
  • On February 23rd, AQAP confirmed the death of Al-Raymi, announcing Khalid Batarfi as his successor (@Dr_E_Kendall, February 23rd 2020)
  • Khalid Batarfi, Al-Raymi's successor as AQAP leader (@Dr_E_Kendall, February 23rd 2020)
  • Al-Raymi, born in 1978, was a founding member of AQAP (BBC Arabic, February 7th 2020)
  • In 2017, Al-Raymi said that lone shooter attacks brought him joy (Long War Journal, February 6th 2020)
  • Al-Raymi (right), alongside Pensacola shooter Muhammed bin Saeed Al-Shamrani (Long War Journal, February 6th 2020)
  • (@Saad_Binmuad, January 29th 2020)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Hosson Al Mashrif (الحصن المشرف), allegedly within the vicinity of Yakla (يكلاء). One source, @JoshuaKoontz__, suggests the area of Wadi Al Mashrif (وادي المشيريف) as a potential location for this village, approximately 33KM north of Yakla. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Wadi Al Mashrif are: 14.79646, 45.04077

  • Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Hosson Al Mashrif (الحصن المشرف), allegedly within vicinity of Yakla (يكلاء).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • One source, @JoshuaKoontz__, suggests the area of Wadi Al Mashrif (وادي المشيريف) as a potential location for this village, approximately 33KM north of Yakla.

    Imagery:
    @JoshuaKoontz__

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, the United States conducted a counterterrorism operation in Yemen that successfully eliminated Qasim al-Rimi, a founder and the leader of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and a deputy to al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Rimi joined al-Qa’ida in the 1990s, working in Afghanistan for Osama bin Laden. Under Rimi, AQAP committed unconscionable violence against civilians in Yemen and sought to conduct and inspire numerous attacks against the United States and our forces. His death further degrades AQAP and the global al-Qa’ida movement, and it brings us closer to eliminating the threats these groups pose to our national security. The United States, our interests, and our allies are safer as a result of his death. We will continue to protect the American people by tracking down and eliminating terrorists who seek to do us harm.

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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (52) [ collapse]