Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
166 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

YS061

Incident date

October 20, 2019

Location

باب الخير شمال راس العين , Bab Al kheer, northen Ras Al Ain, Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.846147, 40.282677 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reportedly killed by YPG forces in Bab Al kheer, northen Ras Al Ain.

Suriye.u.a.d  reported: “The gangs of #PYD_YPG_PKK assassinate the civilian Ismail Mohammed Mulla Matar on charges of dealing with the Syrian National Army in the village of Bab al-Khair east # Ras_alain”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ismail Mohammed Mulla Matar
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bab Al Kheer (باب الخير), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.846147, 40.282677. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS095

Incident date

June 28, 2020

Location

مارع, Mare’a, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4828, 37.1964

Airwars assessment

A child was killed after an unexploded shell from earlier shelling by alleged Kurdish forces on the town of Mare’a exploded on June 28th, 2020. It is unclear when exactly the munition was fired.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that it had “documented the death of a child under the age of 18, as a result of the explosion of a shell from the remnants of the previous bombing of the Kurdish forces on the town of Mare’a, which is under the control of the pro-Ankara factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo.”

Local activists told Bawabat Aleppo that the victim was the 14-year-old boy Hamza Ibrahim, who was displaced from the village of Khansasir, south of Aleppo. Bawabat Aleppo pointed to the Syrian Democratic Forces as responsible for the previously unexploded mortar shell.

Bawabat Aleppo added that Syrian Civil Defence teams “went to the location of the explosion to secure it and prevent civilians from approaching, fearing the presence of other bombing remnants.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hamza Ibrahim حمزة ابراهيم
14 years old male displaced from village of Khanasir killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Mare’a (مارع), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.4828, 37.1964. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS128

Incident date

March 23, 2022

Location

اعزاز, A'zaaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.581669, 37.050417 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one male civilian was killed and up to nine others were injured, including a child and a woman, in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces’ shelling of the city of A’zaaz on March 23, 2022.

Euphrates Post reported that Syrian Defense Forces shelled the city of A’zaaz with more than 15 rockets, which resulted in the killing of the civilian Ahmed al-Khalaf and the injury of seven other people, including a child. Sources added that “the rockets landed near the Al-Dalla roundabout in the city of Azaz, in a densely populated area, and in the vicinity of the Azaz Security Directorate.”

@DeirEzzorNow identified one civilian as being killed, adding that six other civilians were injured, including a child and an elderly man. @DeirEzzorNow also provided the names of the civilians injured: Muhammed Ural, Muhammad Khalaf, Ahmed Hajola bin Hassan, Zakaria Halabiya, Nawaf Al-Kadour.

Macro Media Center added that a woman was also in critical condition from the shelling. A tweet from @SYRMMC put the injury count at four while Azzaz media centre posted on Facebook that nine people were injured.

Ramadan Abu Nayef, 60 years old, recounts the moments when his house was subjected to artillery shelling: “We were 8 people in the house, we were having lunch, we heard the sound of the shells coming down the lane immediately and we were distributed in the rooms, but suddenly there was a very strong sound, and dust filled the place, the targeting was inside our house and a few meters away from one of my children, but thank God no one was injured, and we survived Miraculously, from death, when this crime does not continue, we have the right to live in safety, without bombing and without fear.”

@ShahbaPress identified “Katyusha rockets” as being used during the attack. Syrian Network for Human Rights added that the shells hit residential buildings in the city and “the bombing caused severe damage in the areas that were hit.” In addition, Enab Baladi News mentioned that public facilities were also subject to artillery shelling.

The majority of sources attributed the strikes to the Syrian Democratic Forces while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “rockets have been fired from areas controlled by the Regime and Kurdish forces”.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed al-Khalaf أحمد نواف الخلف
Age unknown male killed
Muhammed Ural محمد اورال
Age unknown injured
Muhammad Khalaf محمد خلف
Age unknown injured
Ahmed Hajola bin Hassan احمد حاجولة بن حسن
Age unknown injured
Zakaria Halabiya زكريا حلبية
Age unknown injured
Nawaf Al-Kadour نواف الكدور
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–9
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (47) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (31) [ collapse]

  • The first moments of the response of our teams to artillery shelling on residential neighborhoods in the city of #Azaz came from areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the regime forces north of #Aleppo, today, Wednesday, March 23, which led to the death of a civilian and the injury of 6 others.
  • A martyr was killed and a number of civilians were wounded, including a woman in a critical condition, as a result of a missile shelling by the Qasd militia on the city of Azaz in the countryside of Aleppo

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians killed and injured in alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • Names of the alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • Rescue crews respond after alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefense)
  • Rescue crews respond after alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefense)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefense)
  • Rescue crews respond after alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefense)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Destruction caused by alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Azzaz media centre)
  • Hospital where injured civilians were taken after alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Azzaz media centre)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured in alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by@soryhar_5)
  • Smoke and dust from alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @ahmads2021)
  • Smoke and dust from alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by @ahmads2021)
  • Man injured in alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Omar Al Tallawi via Facebook)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Man injured in alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Omar Al Tallawi via Facebook)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians injured in alleged SDF strikes on A'zaaz on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Radwan Mohammed al Shahwan via Facebook)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Al-Dalla roundabout (دوار الدلة), within the city of A’zaaz (اعزاز), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.581669, 37.050417. Analysing audio-visual material from sources we have located one image in the area of Al-Dalla roundabout at the coordinates: 36.579069, 37.045456. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Al-Dalla roundabout","label-type":"black-white","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1},"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[37.050417,36.581669]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"A","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[37.046416103839874,36.57894349583355],[37.046815752983086,36.57894349583355],[37.046815752983086,36.57936566139965],[37.046416103839874,36.57936566139965],[37.046416103839874,36.57894349583355]]]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"B","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[37.04568386077881,36.5790167288013],[37.046021819114685,36.5790167288013],[37.046021819114685,36.57933766069379],[37.04568386077881,36.57933766069379],[37.04568386077881,36.5790167288013]]]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"C","label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[37.04538345336914,36.579014574891474],[37.045675814151764,36.579014574891474],[37.045675814151764,36.57935273799822],[37.04538345336914,36.57935273799822],[37.04538345336914,36.579014574891474]]]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Source Image Location","label-type":"black-white","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1},"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[37.045456,36.579069]}}]}

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources. Imagery: Azazz Media Office

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–9
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (47) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS163

Incident date

January 16, 2023

Location

حزوان, Hazwan, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

A woman was killed by a sniper shooting allegedly carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the village of Hazwan on January 16, 2023.

Shaam News reported that a woman was killed by a sniper affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces in the village of Hazwan. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the woman was on her way from the village of Hazwan to the village of Abla.

@Sharqya_reporte provided the name of the victim:  Mrs. “Zahra Ali Al-Waheed”. The Syrian Network for Human Rights added that the woman was born in 1987 and that she was killed in her home village.

Baladi News reported that the incident occurred in the evening. All sources attributed the shooting to the Syrian Democratic Forces or areas controlled by them.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Mrs. "Zahra Ali Al-Waheed" السيدة "زهرة علي الوحيد"
36 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (9) [ collapse]

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00026

Incident date

September 4, 2023

Location

ذيبان, Dhiban, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

A man, Ahmed Hamid al-Helu, was killed in the town of Dhiban on September 4th, 2023 as a result of an alleged SDF bomb dropped from a drone.

Local source (@AlfratNda) stated that al-Helu was a resident of the town, and that the bomb had been dropped by an SDF-operated drone. This was corroborated by several other reporters (@Sharqya_reporte; @Rian_almasri; @Almohrar1).

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Hamid al-Helu أحمد حميد محمد الحلو
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (7) [ collapse]

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS072

Incident date

November 19, 2019

Location

أعزاز, Azaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.586736, 37.042624 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed and between seven and 15 others including two children injured in an alleged YPG artillery attack on Azaz in Aleppo governorate, Syria on November 19th, 2019, according to local sources.

The civilian killed was identified as Muhammad Mustafa Amouri, aged 30 and he died shortly after he was moved to hospital. According to @Gaber11518504, Muhammad’s two brothers were killed before and he was the only remaining son for his family.

According to Al Modon, six katyusha rockets landed on a al-Jawalat Street in the middle of the popular market, at times when it was crowded causing a big number of casualties.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Mustafa Amouri محمد مصطفى عموري
30 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–15
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (22) [ collapse]

  • Syrian child injured in an alleged YPG attack in Azaz - Aleppo was moved to a Turkish hospital (via Qasioun)
  • Aftermath of an YPG alleged attack on Azaz in Aleppo. (via Qasioun)
  • Aftermath of an YPG alleged attack on Azaz in Aleppo. (via Qasioun)
  • Aftermath of an alleged YPG attack on Azaz - Aleppo (via AMC)
  • Alleged YPG attack on Azaz - Nov 19th, 2019 (via STEP)
  • Alleged YPG attack on Azaz - Nov 19th, 2019 (via STEP)
  • Alleged YPG attack on Azaz - Nov 19th, 2019 (via STEP)
  • One civilian killed in an alleged YPG attack on Azaz - Nov 19th, 2019 (via STEP)
  • A child injured in an alleged YPG attack on Azaz in Aleppo - Nov 19th, 2019 (via AMC)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Al Jawalat (الجوالات) street, within the city of Azaz (اعزاز), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.586736 37.042624. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1},"geometry":{"type":"LineString","coordinates":[[37.04297751188278,36.58773310965431],[37.04284608364105,36.58742944206568],[37.04271465539932,36.587061162748725],[37.04252153635025,36.586520585831856],[37.04242497682571,36.586124303934064],[37.04217553138733,36.58547603405187]]}}]}

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–15
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS107

Incident date

July 15, 2021

Location

عفرين, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.517240, 36.847741 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Additional Geolocations

36.518456, 36.857943 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians, including a child, were killed and between eight and 12 others, including three women and two children, were injured in alleged YPG or regime missile and artillery strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021.

According to Syrian Civil Defense, two civilians were killed, including a child and a man, and 12 civilians were injured, including three women and two children, “as a preliminary outcome”. The Civil Defense teams “rescued the injured To the hospitals, the bodies of the dead were recovered to be handed over to their families”.

Media activist Rohat Muhammad told BasNews that “two people were killed, including a child, and 8 others were wounded when 6 missiles fell on Al-Zabadiyah neighborhood in the city of Afrin, the source of which is the towns of Nubl and Al-Zahra, which are under the control of the regime’s Shiite militias (Popular Defense) and Kurdish units.” He added that “a missile fell on the electricity tank, which caused the entire city to be cut off.”

Zaman Al Wasl reported that “the neighborhoods of “Al-Mahmoudiya” and “Al-Zaydiyah” in the center of “Afrin” were bombarded in the strikes. Afrin Media Center told 7al News that “the bombing was carried out in two waves, the first batch of missiles fell on the “Al-Zaydiyah neighborhood” and the street of Jindires Road, killing two people and wounding 11 others, then the shelling was renewed on the arc of the city and the village of “Jomke”.

@ShahbaPress and @mohmad_rasheed both identified one person as being killed in the strikes.

A post from Mustafa Sheikhou named some of the victims of the strikes that were injured: Masoud Rashid Hussein – 40 years old – Afrin; Mustafa Juma Samer Zainab – Afrin – 9 years old; Muhammad Ali Wamuna Wamouna, 60 years old, from Afrin; Salwa Haider Wamouna, 30 years old, from Afrin; Yassin Omar Khaled Intisar, 30 years old, Hama; Sally Sheikh Naasan, 18 years old, from Afrin; Emad Othman Mustafa, 40 years old, from Afrin; Muhammad Yusuf Taha – 35 years old – Idlib; Ziad Al-Omar Hussein, 35 years old, Idlib. At least one of the children injured, whose name was not identified, was in intensive care.

Afrin Media Center identified Kurdish civilian Radwan Jamil Hamid, from the village of Suya, as being a “victim” of the strike but does not specify whether he was killed or injured.

Shaam News reported that “activists stated that the bombing caused at least 15 wounded, including women and children, who were transferred to Afrin hospitals, including serious cases” and that “residential neighborhoods” were struck in the shelling.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the strikes but the majority of sources attributed the strikes to the SDF/YPG. The Syrian Civil Defense identified the shells as “originating from the areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the regime forces north of Aleppo” but did not assign blame. However, @ShahbaPress attributed the missiles to “the YPG militia” and @mohmad_rasheed tweeted about the casualties from “the bombing of SDF with vacuum missiles”. Anadolu Agency referred to both “the terrorist YPG/PKK organization” and “ISIS elements stationed in the city of Tal Rifaat” as carrying out the strikes while 7al News identified “government forces and the Iranian militia loyal to them” as responsible.

Rocket launchers and artillery shelling was reportedly used against Afrin according to various sources.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Muhammad Ali Wamuna Wamouna
60 years old injured
Salwa Haider Wamouna
30 years old injured

The victims were named as:

Masoud Rashid Hussein
40 years old injured
Mustafa Juma Samer and Zainab
9 years old injured
Yassin Omar Khaled Intisar
30 years old injured
Sally Sheikh Naasan
18 years old injured
Emad Othman Mustafa
40 years old injured
Muhammad Yusuf Taha
35 years old injured
Ziad Al-Omar Hussein
35 years old injured
Radwan Jamil Hamid
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–12
  • 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
    YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • Civil Defense team members search through the rubble for casualties following strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Civil Defense team members search through the rubble for casualties following strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Civil Defense team members search through the rubble for casualties following strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Civil Defense team members search through the rubble for casualties following strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Statistics of the victims of the bombing of the city of #Afrin in the northern countryside of #Aleppo, Thursday, July 15th: death of 2, one of them a child, and 12 injured, including 2 children and 3 women. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of an older man injured in strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by @khalidaboalmjed)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a young man injured in strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by @khalidaboalmjed)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a young child injured in strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by @khalidaboalmjed)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a young child injured in strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by @khalidaboalmjed)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a young man injured in strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by @mohmad_rasheed)
    Damage to a building caused by strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by BasNews)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of the young child killed in strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by @Yusuf1975hamoud)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of the strikes on Afrin on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by Shaam News)
  • Ambulances arrive at the scene of strikes on Afrin to rescue injured civilians on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by BasNews)
  • Ambulances arrive at the scene of strikes on Afrin to rescue injured civilians on July 15, 2021. (Images posted by Afrin Media Center)
  • "Among the victims of the missile strikes on the city of Afrin yesterday evening, Thursday 15.07.2021, was the Kurdish civilian, Radwan Jamil Hamid, from the village of Suya." (Image posted by Afrin Media Center)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention strikes on the Al Mahmoudiya (المحمودية) and Al Zaydiyah (الزيدية) neighbourhoods of the city of Afrin (عفرين). The generic coordinates for Al Mahmoudiya are: 36.517240, 36.847741. The generic coordinates for Al Zaydiyah are: 36.518456, 36.857943. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[36.840484,36.5212768],[36.8397545,36.520587],[36.8390035,36.5193282],[36.8436383,36.516362],[36.8459772,36.5153101],[36.8477796,36.5149824],[36.851642,36.5148445],[36.8517708,36.5172933],[36.8515133,36.5186039],[36.8507193,36.5187763],[36.8501185,36.518966],[36.8496035,36.5193109],[36.848874,36.5193799],[36.8472861,36.5202594],[36.8466638,36.5202076],[36.8437027,36.5191385],[36.840484,36.5212768]]]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[36.8555688,36.5172286],[36.8556036,36.5170453],[36.8560194,36.5170259],[36.8569206,36.5170001],[36.8585621,36.5164482],[36.8590771,36.5162327],[36.8598281,36.5169311],[36.8590449,36.5172415],[36.8595974,36.5188496],[36.8601071,36.5204533],[36.8599139,36.5207465],[36.8609654,36.5211431],[36.8618988,36.5212509],[36.8622797,36.5213026],[36.8626391,36.5213543],[36.8625801,36.5215914],[36.8623869,36.5221379],[36.8623346,36.5222941],[36.8623092,36.5223038],[36.862281,36.5223168],[36.8622582,36.522348],[36.8620731,36.522403],[36.8619578,36.5224418],[36.8617982,36.5224741],[36.8615863,36.5224558],[36.8612685,36.5224267],[36.8599984,36.5222478],[36.8593011,36.5221486],[36.8591777,36.5221314],[36.8590892,36.5221529],[36.8590221,36.5221702],[36.8589457,36.5221874],[36.8588196,36.5221928],[36.8586573,36.5221874],[36.8583073,36.5221519],[36.8582644,36.5221842],[36.8582081,36.5222198],[36.8581263,36.5222241],[36.8579921,36.5222144],[36.85796,36.5221702],[36.8579747,36.5220161],[36.8579237,36.5220085],[36.8575858,36.5220128],[36.8574892,36.5220312],[36.8574946,36.5221185],[36.8574074,36.5221314],[36.8572693,36.5221249],[36.8572103,36.52207],[36.8571942,36.5219924],[36.8571459,36.5219536],[36.8563359,36.5219633],[36.8561991,36.5218943],[36.8561696,36.5215095],[36.8575643,36.5213931],[36.8576663,36.521363],[36.857677,36.5213392],[36.8576797,36.5212854],[36.8577038,36.521197],[36.8577306,36.5211452],[36.8579908,36.5207292],[36.8581517,36.520587],[36.8582,36.520546],[36.8583381,36.5201753],[36.8583301,36.5200923],[36.8582845,36.5200653],[36.8582067,36.5200545],[36.8570346,36.5201602],[36.8564298,36.520047],[36.8563278,36.5199802],[36.855888,36.5199478],[36.8556921,36.5198659],[36.8555808,36.5196762],[36.8555647,36.519562],[36.8555567,36.5195555],[36.8553046,36.5191902],[36.8552134,36.5190824],[36.8551235,36.5190231],[36.8550632,36.5189692],[36.8549237,36.5189229],[36.8549157,36.5189175],[36.8549197,36.5189056],[36.8549867,36.5184917],[36.8550109,36.5184831],[36.8551611,36.518468],[36.855204,36.5184594],[36.8552254,36.5184465],[36.8552576,36.5184185],[36.8553113,36.5182137],[36.8555688,36.5172286]]]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Al Mahmoudiya \n المحمودية","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[36.847741,36.51724]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Al Zaydiyah \n الزيدية","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[36.857943,36.518456]}}]}

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–12
  • 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
    YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1982

Incident date

July 4, 2022

Location

الزر, Al Zer, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.124387, 40.432541 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children under the age of 18 were killed during a joint Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces airdrop operation in the village of Al Zer on July 4th, 2022. Sources were conflicted as to whether the two killed were civilians or members of ISIS.

Al Khabour posted on Facebook that a young man named “Muhammad Fateh Khalaf Al-Daham” and another person were killed during an airdrop operation carried out by the Coalition in the village of Al Zer. Euphrates Post added that the other person killed was an IDP and @19had93eel identified the two people killed as civilians.

According to @syria_news123, a “citizen” was killed and another was wounded by the SDF during an operation with the support of the “American occupation forces,” with @19had93eel specifying that Coalition helicopters participated and that the occupation was carried out at dawn.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated that the two men that were killed were accused of working for ISIS and were killed when they resisted arrest. Activists specified to SOHR that one of the men killed was detained for about four months by the SDF and had been released in April, while the other man was accompanied by his mother and was working to distribute financial guarantees to the women of ISIS in the area.

Private sources told Euphrates Post that the operation was carried out at a house near the “Al-Munkar” neighborhood that was inhabited by a displaced family from Aleppo and resulted in the death of a 14 year old member of ISIS named Omar who was from Aleppo whose father was a former member of ISIS and was detained by the SDF, while the other child killed, Muhammad Fateh Khalaf Al-Daham, was a 17 year old who had been released from SDF prison two months ago. The sources added that  the two people killed had been holding a lunch feast and that Coalition drones had been flying in the area at the time.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the two people were shot and killed when SDF personnel raided a house while Orient News referred to the operation as involving “light bombs”.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 children)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Zer (الزر), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.124387, 40.432541. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 children)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (18) [ collapse]