The Dangerous Rise of “Dual-Use” Objects in War

The Yale Law Journal cited Airwars’ years-long documentation of civilian harm from US-led Coalition strikes in Iraq and Syria as part of their research into the dangers posed by strikes on “dual-use” targets in conflict zones.

The journal references Airwars’ methodology, as well as nearly two dozen incidents of civilian harm recorded by Airwars staff during the campaign against so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

References 22 incidents
13 June 2016

Incident Code

CS228

Location

منبج, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
A reported Coalition airstrike on the agricultural secondary school in Manbij – being used as a temporary prison by so called Islamic State – led to the deaths of between 8 and 20 civilian captives according to local reports. Smart News reported: “Our reporter explained that raids carried out by international coalition aircraft targeted a…

Summary

Published
13 June 2016
Infrastructure
Education
Civilians reported killed
8–20
Civilians reported injured
50
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
27 July 2015

Incident Code

CI087

Location

الشرقاط, Shirqat, Nineveh, Iraq
A US airstrike on a convoy of Islamic State vehicles also injured at least one civilian, CENTCOM conceded some months later. According to a press statement issued on January 29th 2016, “On July 27, 2015, near Ash Sharqat, Iraq, during strikes against ISIL vehicles, it was assessed one civilian was injured.” Local media said that…

Summary

Published
27 July 2015
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
25 June 2017

Incident Code

CS1077

Location

نهر الفرات, Euphrates river, Raqqa, Syria
Three civilian males were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrikes near the Euphrates River in Raqqa. A number of local sources identified the victims. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently reported that the men were killed in an airstrike on their cars as they tried to retrieve water from the river. Raqqa had been suffering from…

Summary

Published
25 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
3
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
13 May 2015

Incident Code

CI067

Location

بيجي‎, Masahag, Salah Al Din, Iraq
Six members of one family were reported killed when a Coalition drone allegedly struck a vehicle distributing oil products to local people. Responding to questions from Airwars, an MoD spokesman said that no British Reaper drone strike took place in the vicinity of al Masahag on that date. Bayji’s Mayor, Mohamed Mahmoud said in an…

Summary

Published
13 May 2015
Civilians reported killed
6
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
3 January 2017

Incident Code

CS425

Location

سرمدا, Sarmada, Idlib, Syria
A major US airstrike on an al Nusra Front headquarters – a unilateral action – killed a significant number of militants. However, up to 26 Free Syrian Army prisoners held in the building were also reported killed, along with three children. The US admitted responsibility for just one civilian death three years later. Fatah al…

Summary

Published
3 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
26 June 2017

Incident Code

CS1094

Location

الميادين, Al Mayadin, Deir Ezzor, Syria
Between 42 and 100 civilians who were being detained in an ISIL prison were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrikes on an ISIL base in Al Mayadeen, local sources reported. The Coalition later conceded having killed eight civilians. According to a number of reports, the strikes also allegedly killed between 15 to 20 ISIL members,…

Summary

Published
26 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
42–70
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
20 April 2015

Incident Code

CI060

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Aden, Nineveh, Iraq
A reported Coalition airstrike on an electricity generating facility reportedly killed up tp 35 civilians and injured 22 more when nearby apartments were caught in the blast, according to reports. The US led Coalition later conceded 18 deaths in this event. At the time of the incident, NINA cited a medical source at the hospital…

Summary

Published
20 April 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
18–35
Civilians reported injured
22–50
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
14 March 2017

Incident Code

CI541

Location

باب سنجار, Mosul, Bab Sinjar, Nineveh, Iraq
There was a single claim that ‘dozens’ of civilians were killed or injured after Coalition airstrikes allegedly struck the emergency building at the general hospital in Bab Sinjar, in West Mosul.

Summary

Published
14 March 2017
Civilians reported killed
12–24
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
9 May 2017

Incident Code

CS789

Location

المنصورة, Al Mansoura, Raqqa, Syria
A child died and up to eight others were killed or wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Mansoura village, according to local media. The alliance later accepted responsibility for one death. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently said an air raid “targeted the house of Mahmoud al Yatim" killing a child. The source didn’t say…

Summary

Published
9 May 2017
Civilians reported killed
1–7
Civilians reported injured
2–8
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
6 December 2016

Incident Code

CI362

Location

Mosul, near al Salem hospital, Iraq
The Coalition mistakenly hit Iraqi forces during an airstrike near al Salem hospital in Mosul, according to some local sources. Iraqi Spring Media Center reported that the Coalition mistakenly targeted” government forces near Salam Hospital in the southeast of Mosul. And Sputnik News claimed that US Air Force bombs left 90 Iraqi military members dead…

Summary

Published
6 December 2016
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
2 November 2017

Incident Codes

CS1662 RS2673

Location

المراشدة, Al Mrashda river crossing, Deir Ezzor, Syria
Up to five civilians died in an airstrike on the al Mrashda river crossing in Deir Ezzor, local media said – though sources were conflicted as to whether the US-led Coalition, Syrian regime or Russia were responsible. According to Al Hall, the Coalition “targeted the water crossing in the town of Al Mrashda in rural…

Summary

Published
2 November 2017
Civilians reported killed
4–5
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Russian Military, U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
26 June 2017

Incident Code

CS1091

Location

نهر الفرات, Euphrates river, Raqqa, Syria
At least five civilian males and as many as seven were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrikes near the Euphrates River in Raqqa. Local sources reported that the men were killed in airstrikes targeting their cars as they tried to retrieve water from the river. Raqqa has been suffering from intermittent and recurring water outages.…

Summary

Published
26 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
5–7
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
1 October 2017

Incident Code

CS1562a

Location

Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report "War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality", one civilian was reportedly killed in alleged Coalition artillery strikes in Raqqa. Although Airwars assesses single sourced incidents as "weak", researchers have assessed this incident "fair" due to the depth of material provided by Amnesty. The report stated that "Mahmud…

Summary

Published
1 October 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1–35
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
6 October 2017

Incident Code

CS1595

Location

حديقة المرورية, الجميلي, Ar Raqqah: Between Hadika Al Mororia (Traffic Park) and Jumaili neighbourhood, Raqqa, Syria
Four to five civilians were reported killed following alleged US-led Coalition airstrikes on the area between Al Hadika Al Mororia and Al Jumaili, Raqqah city. According to Syrian Press Center, the “the International Coalition targeted more than 10 air strikes in the northern neighbourhoods of Raqqah” during this time. Later reports from Raqqa is Being…

Summary

Published
6 October 2017
Civilians reported killed
4–5
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
23 June 2017

Incident Code

CS1068

Location

الطواطحة, Tawatha, Deir Ezzor, Syria
One man was reportedly wounded after a water tanker in Al Tawatha village near Abu Kamal in the east of Deir Ezzor was allegedly struck by a Coalition airstrike. The man was said to be injured in the leg due to shrapnel exploding off the tanker. According to Baladi News, “Coalition aircraft targeted a pipeline…

Summary

Published
23 June 2017
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
24 June 2017

Incident Code

CS1072

Location

ﻤﺪﺭﺳﺔ ﻋﺪﻧﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﻟﻜﻲ, Ar Raqqah (Adnan al Maliki School, unknown location), Raqqa, Syria
Eight civilians, including between five and seven children, were killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike near Adnan al Maliki School in Raqqa, local sources reported. Al Hasaka Arabea and Step News Agency alleged that the Coalition was responsible. Raqqa Ahluna blamed the US-led Coalition for the death of five children. It reported that their names were…

Summary

Published
24 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
8
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
28 May 2017

Incident Code

CS880

Location

حارة البدو, Al Badou, Raqqa, Syria
An unspecified number of civilians died and one named civilian was injured in airstrikes and/or an artillery bombardment on Raqqa’s Bado neighbourhood, according to local sources. Mohammed Amiro was named as injured when an artillery shell fell behind the Directorate of Water in the Bado neighbourhood – though sources didn’t identify the culprit. RFS reported…

Summary

Published
28 May 2017
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
28 September 2017

Incident Code

CS1537

Location

Al Badou area, Raqqa, Syria
Local media reported that an unspecififed number of civilians were wounded in a strike near the water company or water foundation in Raqqah’s al Badou neighbourhood. The Step News Agency blamed the Coalition, while other sources also reported a raid on the area but did not apportion blame. No further details are currently available.

Summary

Published
28 September 2017
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
9 March 2017

Incident Code

CS561

Location

الكرامة, Al Karama, Raqqa, Syria
Between seven and 23 civilians including six children died and 18 to 30 more, including women and children, were injured in Coalition airstrikes on Al Karama town and nearby villages in Raqqa governorate, according to local sources. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently reported the death of Jum’a Mahmood Hamad Al-Hito “who was killed today due…

Summary

Published
9 March 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
7–23
Civilians reported injured
18–30
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons, Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
5 December 2016

Incident Code

CS403

Location

الجرنية, Al Jarnia, Raqqa, Syria
A reported Coalition airstrike on the local water company killed at least five workers, according to sources. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered reported that “three people working at the water company in al Jarnia – one of them the water manager – were killed in international coalition raids targeting the company today.” Baladi News placed the…

Summary

Published
5 December 2016
Civilians reported killed
8–10
Civilians reported injured
10–12
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
5 January 2016

Incident Code

CS162

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
Airstrikes targeted the Water Foundation building on the outskirts of Raqqah around midnight, killing an employee of the organization and two building guards according to the Syrian Observatory (which did not attribute the strike to any particular party.) Other sources made no mention of casualties, although a propaganda video released by Daesh appeared to show…

Summary

Published
5 January 2016
Civilians reported killed
3
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident
27 March 2017

Incident Code

CS627

Location

سد الفرات, Euphrates Dam, Raqqa, Syria
The Director of the Euphrates Dam and two other staff members died in declared Coalition airstrikes a mile away from the dam on March 27, 2017, according to local sources. Baladi reported that “the director of the Euphrates Dam and his technical assistant were killed and a number of other technicians were injured as a…

Summary

Published
27 March 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident