Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1108

Incident date

June 27, 2017

Location

ﺟﻨﺎﺓ, Janat, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.06078, 41.00145 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family of six civilians were reportedly killed in airstrikes in Janat village, however assertions as to who was responsible were contested.

Five sources who reported the incident alleged that the Coalition was responsible. However @KhabourNews claimed that Russia was to blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Ali al Marbad
Age unknown male identified by a number of sources, were said to be displaced from Ajajah, north of Shaddadi. killed
Member of Ali al Marbad family 1
Age unknown identified by a number of sources, were said to be displaced from Ajajah, north of Shaddadi. killed
Member of Ali al Marbad family 2
Age unknown identified by a number of sources, were said to be displaced from Ajajah, north of Shaddadi. killed
Member of Ali al Marbad family 3
Age unknown identified by a number of sources, were said to be displaced from Ajajah, north of Shaddadi. killed
Member of Ali al Marbad family 4
Age unknown identified by a number of sources, were said to be displaced from Ajajah, north of Shaddadi. killed
Member of Ali al Marbad family 5
Age unknown identified by a number of sources, were said to be displaced from Ajajah, north of Shaddadi. killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Janat (ﺟﻨﺎﺓ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.06078, 41.00145. 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
    6
  • 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

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 Janat, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV802925
    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

The Coalition did not initially publicly report any strike in Hasakah governorate for June 26th-28th. However it later reported that “On June 27, near Al Shadaddi, Syria, eight strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed five ISIS-held buildings, two vehicles, two fighting positions, two command and control node facilities, a staging facility, and an ISIS headquarters.” And for the next day that “On June 28, near Al Shadaddi, Syria, six strikes destroyed an ISIS headquarters, three weapons caches, a staging area, and a mortar system.”

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • 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

Sources (6) [ collapse]