Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1309 RS2377

Incident date

July 31, 2017

Location

دبلان, Dablan, Ta'as, area behind the mosque, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.855, 40.568611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

More than five civilians were wounded in an airstrike on a water tank behind the mosque in the Ta’as area of Dablan, according to local media – though only once source said that the Coalition was responsible, with others not apportioning blame.

According to Euphrates Post, “The military aircraft launched several simultaneous air strikes with cluster bombs indiscriminately targeting civilian houses“.

Euphrates Post named the wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abu Subhi Mohammad al Rafe’
Age unknown male injured
The family of Jarrah al Mohammad al Rafe’
Age unknown injured

The victims were named as:

The son of Mohammed Al-Muheimmad Al-Munir
Child male injured
The wife of Hussein al-Ghabeh is in critical condition
Adult female injured
The son of Hamid Al Sari.
Child male injured

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dablan, Ta’as, area behind the mosque (دبلان), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.855, 40.568611. 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
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (3) [ 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 Dablan, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 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 July 31st – August 1st: “ Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed 13 ISIS oil stills, an oil storage barrel and an ISIS chemical weapons factory.“

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]