Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS063

Incident date

April 19, 2015

Location

متراس, Mitras, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.62906, 38.29076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A shepherd was reported by the Syrian Network as having been killed in a Coalition airstrike near Mitras. Five other people were injured by shrapnel.

The victim’s son later described retrieving his father’s body: “The rocket caused a great hole in the ground, almost two metres deep. I buried my father’s body in the town.

However in July 2017 the Coalition classed the event as Non Credible on grounds of insufficient evidence of civilian harm: “April 26, 2015, near Mitras, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

Airwars has requested additional information from the Coalition – and continues to class this event as likely.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male Shepherd killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Footage released by the coalition reportedly showing 'Coalition Airstrike on a Daesh Mortar Position near Kobani, Syria, April 19, 2015'. Footage was published on 27/04/2015 by US Central Command.
  • Smoke rising following the shelling on Mitras town. Photo in SN4HR report detailing the incident and published on August 11th, 2015.
  • Photo of the victim Dimmo al Hassan Dimmo, published in SN4HR report -published on August 11th, 2015- in which the incident was detailed including an interview with his son.
  • Published in SN4HR report in which the incident was detailed. Report published August 11th 2015
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

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
    a:1:{i:0;s:21:"insufficient_evidence";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mitras, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Confirmed strike at location for April 19th-20th, including video released of an attack on a ‘Daesh mortar position’ which SN4HR reports is at Mitras: “Near Kobani, seven airstrikes struck seven ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL mortar tube and an ISIL anti-aircraft artillery weapon.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]