Incident Code

CS1142

Location

حطلة, Hatla, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.34169, 40.19897
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S994)

At least two civilians and as many as three were killed following airstrikes on Hatla in Deir Ezzor. However it was not clear who was responsible.

Three sources alleged that Russian warplanes were responsible. Meanwhile five sources reported the airstrike without apportioning blame, and so the Coalition could not be definitively ruled out.

Free Deir Azour Radio identified two of the victims. They were among two sources to report that there were only two civilian casualties, however three sources claimed there were three.

Euphrates Post reported that “Warplane raids targeted the house of Awwad al-Nasr and al-Hamad al-Dabbashi, and near Abu Hafez fishmongers, leaving a number of wounded civilians.” It later also reported that a child “died of his wounds as a result of the targeting with cluster bombs by the warplanes in the town of Dablan in Deir al-Zour, east of 28/6/2017. It is worth mentioning that Yassin al-Alawi lost three children as a result of the massacre.”

Victims

Invidivuals

Mukhles al Azzawi
Age unknown killed
Abd al Qader Osman
Age unknown killed
Asaad Awad Al-Nasr
Child male died of wounds days later killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
3–5
1–3 Children
Civilians reported injured
11

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hatla (حطلة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.34169, 40.19897. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
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 Hatla, Syria
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
38SFV089115
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For July 1st-2nd, the Coalition reported: Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed 20 ISIS oil storage barrels and six oil tankers.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2018-04-26
Original Source
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.
Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (3)