Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1066

Incident date

June 23, 2017

Location

محيميدة, Mheimdeh, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.44294, 40.08619 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 17 civilians including women and children died in an airstrike on Mheimdeh, Deir ez-Zor, according to local media – though it was unclear who was responsible for the deaths, with many sources pointing towards Russia, some to the regime and others not identifying the culprit.

Free Deir Radio put the death toll at ten with “many” more wounded.

Euphrates Post reported “an initial toll of 15 martyrs, mostly women and children and there were dozens more wounded.” It didn’t identify who were responsible for the  “warplanes”, but said that there had been three raids “targeting of civilian homes around the water station”.

However, according to Sharqiya Voice, Step News Agency, Enabbaladi, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and others, Russia was to blame.

Syriannews, also blaming Russia, put the death toll at least 17.

But other sources, including Aletihadpress, pointed to the Assad regime.

According to a report by Albaathmedia, a Coalition raid “destroyed the headquarters of Daesh and two pick-up pickup trucks and killed 14 terrorists in the village of Muhaimida in the western countryside.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Child of Hassan Albu Hanish
Child killed
Child of Hassan Albu Hanish
Child killed
Child of Hassan Albu Hanish
Child killed

Family members (4)

Hussein Al-Buhannish
Age unknown male killed
Walaa Abdullah Al-Buhannish
Child male killed
Son of Bashar Al-buhannish
Age unknown male killed
Daughter of Abu Bashar Al-Buhannish
Age unknown female killed

The victims were named as:

Walid Khalaf Al Aref
Age unknown male killed
The daughter of Abu Bashar
Age unknown female killed
Saleh Hameed Jama’ Al-Harith
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 17
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (33) [ collapse]

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    market near Mheimdeh, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV985227
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 2018
  • 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

US-led Coalition

For June 22nd-23rd, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed six ISIS oil stills.”
For June 23rd-24th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed a front-end loader.”

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 17
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (33) [ collapse]