Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1098

Incident date

June 26, 2017

Location

عياش, Ayyash, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.42022, 40.05303 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A civilian male was identified as killed and two others were injured in “cluster bombs” on the town of Ayyash, local sources reported, however it was not clear who was responsible.

The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights and Free Deir Ezzor both reported that the strikes consisted of four raids.

None of the four sources who reported the incident made any claims with regards to responsibility and no further details were reported.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali al Aboud al Ali al Shihab
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ayyash (عياش), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.42022, 40.05303. 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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ 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 Ayyash, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV955201
    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 26th-27th: “Near Dawr Az Zawr, seven strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three vehicles, a tactical vehicle, two bunkers, two pump jacks, a front-end loader, an IED factory, an ISIS financial facility, and an ISIS headquarters.” It additionally reported that “On June 26, near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed an ISIS factory.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]