Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1081

Incident date

June 25, 2017

Location

ﺍﻡ ﺣﻔﻮﺭ, Umm Hfour, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.191, 40.61207 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to multiple local sources, “a whole family” died in the village of Umm Hfour in an alleged Coalition airstrike.

Hasaka Voice and other sources the victims died “because they were targeted by an air strike by the International Coalition”.

The US-led alliance eventually reported strikes in the vicinity that day, suggesting that the cause of the deaths may have been artillery.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • 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]

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
    near Umm Hfour, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFA449063
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 28, 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

The Coalition did not at first publicly report any strike in Hassaka governorate for June 24th-26th. However, it later stated that “On June 25, near Al Shadaddi, Syria, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed five ISIS-held buildings, three command and control nodes, a mortar system, and a fighting position; and damaged an ISIS-held building.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • 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]