Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Local sources said that an airstrike targeted ISIL members on the Iraq-Syria border, which also resulted in the death of a civilian woman.
Unusually, the incident was attributed to both sides of the border. Geolocation by Airwars volunteer Christiaan Triebert (see map below) has concluded that they are almost certainly the same incident.
On the Iraq side, Al Sanjak village in Al Qa’im province was reported hit. Al Qa’im Al Hadath reported that the shelling had targeted houses belonging to ISIL, that were used as a storage for weapons and suicide belts. It also reported the death of the woman. It did not say who carried out the airstrike. A single other source, a local Sputnik correspondent, reported that “dozens of leaders and elements of Daesh were killed and wounded after the shelling”. It did not report civilian casualties, but blamed the Coalition for the raids.
On the Syrian side, it was also reported that a woman died in an airstrike on the Al Hari border area in the Al Bukamal countryside – though reports were conflicted as to whether Coalition or Iraqi warplanes were to blame. According to the Al Natek Network, “international Coalition raids targeted the village of Al Hari village in the Al Bukamal countryside, leading to the death of one woman and the destruction of a weapons depot in the area.” Alaraby also blamed the Coalition. However, the majority of other sources said that Iraqi forces were responsible. Euphrates Post reported that “Iraqi airplanes destroyed a weapons depot belonging to IS near al Hari border area”. Others reports re-tweeted each other, also attributing the woman’s death to the Iraqi air force. A second report by Euphrates Post said that an Iraqi woman died in the strike.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (11) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
-
After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.
Original strike reports
For March 8th-9th and March 9th-10th the Coalition did not report any strikes near Al Qa’im.
For March 8th-9th and March 9th-10th the Coalition did not report any strikes near Al Qa’im.
For March 8th-9th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, five strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two barges, five well heads, a fighting positions, and a vehicle; and damaged two barges.”
For March 9th-10th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed fives barges, four well heads, and a weapons factory; and damaged an ISIS-held building.”