Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1138

Incident date

July 1, 2017

Location

البوليل, Buleil, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.192087, 40.379369 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A 12-year-old girl  was killed following an airstrike on Al Buleil to the east of Deir Ezzor. However it was not clear who was responsible.

The eight sources reporting the incident did not make any allegations as to who was responsible. Euphrates Post reported that the airstrike took place near the Abu Dilu petrol station, noting “The martyrdom of the girl Sham Ali Mohammed Abu Sabah who is 12 years old, as a result of the targeting of civilian houses in the vicinity of the Abu Dilu gas station in the town of Buleil at dawn today.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Sham Ali Mohammed Abu Sabah
12 years old female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Buleil (البوليل), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.192087, 40.379369. 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 child)
  • 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 (8) [ 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 Buleil, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 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 30th-July 1st, the Coalition reported: ” Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed six ISIS oil tanks, three well heads and two oil trucks.” It additionally reported that “On June 30, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed four ISIS-held buildings, two command and control nodes and three oil stills.”

For July 1st-2nd: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed 20 ISIS oil storage barrels and six oil tankers.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]