Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1068

Incident date

June 23, 2017

Location

الطواطحة, Tawatha, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.696987, 40.793104 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One man was reportedly wounded after a water tanker in Al Tawatha village near Abu Kamal in the east of Deir Ezzor was allegedly struck by a Coalition airstrike.

The man was said to be injured in the leg due to shrapnel exploding off the tanker.

According to Baladi News, “Coalition aircraft targeted a pipeline to transport oil near the Grand Mosque in the village of Al-Tawataha and destroyed parts of the mosque.” It made no mention of civilian casualties.

But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who also pointed towards the Coalition, said that there was “information on casualties from the bombing” – though it didn’t offer further details.

According to Sharqiya, there was a “bombing of a mosque and a school in the al-Bukhammal, followed by heavy gunfire in the area.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tawatha (الطواطحة), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.696987, 40.793104. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A picture showing the remains of a water tank, allegedly targeted by Coalition strikes in the village of Al-Tawatah, Abu Kamal (via Euphrates Post)
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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Tawatha, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 28, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]