Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS056

Incident date

February 22, 2015

Location

سليمة, Salima, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.5842441, 41.6493416 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A number of sources report that up to 10 civilians, including possibly children, were killed after the coalition mistakenly bombed the wrong village. According to the Stepagency site: “Today six children and a few other civilians were killed in the village of Salima after the coalition planes bombed the village by mistake as it was supposed to bomb the village of Khuza’a, which lies next door and where fierce battles are taking place between IS and Kurdish militia. A number of other civilians were martyred when the coalition bombed the villages of Lazzaka and al Taweel.”

Other sources reported only two non-combatants killed.

In February 2019, the Coalition assessed this event to be not credible – their report noted: “After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”

 

The incident occured around dusk.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the strike to have occurred in the village of Salima (قرية سليمة), near Al-Shadadi (الشدادي ), Al Hasaka, in the “evening”. The coordinates for the midpoint of Salima (قرية سليمة) are: 36.5842441, 41.6493416. The incident was first reported at 00:05, Feb. 23rd, 2015 local time by Step Agency

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (6 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Other
  • Stated location
    near Salima, al-Shadadi, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SGA369518
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 28, 2019
  • Feb. 22, 2015, near Salima, al-Shadadi, Syria, via Airwars report. After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The coalition has confirmed 13 airstrikes in the vicinity. It reports that for February 21st-22nd 2015, “Near Al Hasakah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (6 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]