Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1187

Incident date

July 11, 2017

Location

البوكمال, Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.466049, 40.907593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twenty civilians, including women and children, were killed and 30 more were injured in a series of alleged Coalition airstrikes on Abu Kamal in eastern Deir Ezzor, local media reported.

Multiple sources blamed the Coalition, putting death counts at either four or five non-combatants.

Euphrates Post also reported that the first strikes at 11am hit the house of Jumaa al Bandar behind an ISIL building near Hajana Street, while the second at 2.30pm struck a four-storey building on the main street, near the second-hand market.

AlSharqiya24 reported that the strikes focused on Souk al Hall Street, the main street and the house of Jamal al Zayn meanwhile Free Dier Azour Radio added that the strikes were in the vicinity of Al Hanaa hospital.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, which blamed the Coalition, put the death toll at 11 including two children and four women.

In their June 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (20)

Badri Mohammed Al-Bandar
Age unknown killed
Baida Hamed al-Yaqoub "Badri al-Bandar's wife"
Adult female killed
Khaled Badri Al-Bandar
Age unknown killed
Rashed Badri Al Bandar
Age unknown killed
Aya Badri Al Bandar
Age unknown female killed
Maya Badri Al Bandar
Age unknown female killed
Hakoum Mohammed Al - Bandar
Age unknown killed
Ghalia Abdullah Al-Fathi, wife of Hakoum Al Bandar
Adult female killed
Hazem Hakoum Al Bandar
Age unknown killed
Aida Hakoum Al Bandar
Age unknown female killed
Hadil Hakoum Al Bandar
Age unknown female killed
Amani Hakoum Al Bandar
Age unknown female killed
Lama’a Jameel Al-Yaqoub (the wife of Jumaa al-Bandar)
Adult female killed
Raslan Jamaa al-Bandar
Age unknown killed
Yusuf's the son of Haytham Kamal al-Harb
4 years old male killed
Raad Mousa Al Mahmoud Al Mousa
Age unknown male killed
Khalafa al-Hammadi "wife of Atallah al-Sayes"
Adult female killed
Hashem Ahmed Atallah Al-Sayes
Age unknown killed
Rahaf Marwan al Khalil, wife of Hazem al-Bandar
Adult female killed
Amna Mohammed al-Hariri
Age unknown female displaced from Palyma killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20
  • (1–2 children2–4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Scene of desrtuction at Abu Kamal after a reported Coalition strike on July 11th kill;ed at least four civilians (via Euphrates Post)
  • Raslan Juma’a Mohammed al-Bandar killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Abu Kamal, 11th July 2017. (via Euphrates post )
  • Abdul Hakim al-Bandar and his son Hazem al-Bandar, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Abu Kamal, 11th July 2017. (via Euphrates post )
  • Badri Mohammed al - Bandar, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Abu Kamal, 11th July 2017. (via Euphrates post )
  • Ra’ad is the son of Musa al-Mousa, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Abu Kamal, 11th July 2017. (via Euphrates post )
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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU752154
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020
  • July 11, 2017, in Abu Kamal, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3121/CS1187 37SFU752154

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For July 11th-12th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 25 ISIS oil refinement stills, five oil tanks, and 10 oil tankers.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20
  • (1–2 children2–4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (16) [ collapse]