Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Up to 20 civilians died and dozens more were wounded in airstrikes on the village of Al Tabani, according to local media – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Coalition were to blame.
Rami asssaf, @Ahmad_Zahlan and @HAMZH7711 blamed the Coalition, with @Ahmad_Zahlan reporting that white phosphorus had been used.
However, the majority of sources attributed the event to Russian forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that it was unclear whether the planes belonged to Russia or the Coalition. According to Ahmad al Shibli, there were ten raids, while Al Hassaka Rasd put the death toll at 20 non-combatants.
Multiple sources reported that Abdul Razzaq al-Atrash and 11 members of his family died. Other victims were listed as three brothers, the sons of Hamoud Al Farhan al Darwish.
Euphrates Post reported that the following locations in the village were hit:
Al-Akeisat neighbourhood School
The Electricity Company
House of Ahmed Al Khalil
House of Ahmed Al Hassan
The house of Abdul Rahman al-A’ddad – adding: “it is worth mentioning that dozens of families spent the night in agricultural land for fear of air raids.”
Step News Agency reported that more than ten homes were raised to the ground.
The incident occured during the night.
The victims were named as:
Family members (7)
- Aisha Mohammed Ba’aj Age unknown female named by Euphrates Post, who said Russia was likely to blame killed
- Sabria Mohammed Ba’aj Age unknown female named by Euphrates Post, who said Russia was likely to blame killed
- Rana Abdul Razzaq Ba’aj Age unknown female named by Euphrates Post, who said Russia was likely to blame killed
- Abdul Razzaq Ba’aj Age unknown male named by Euphrates Post, who said Russia was likely to blame killed
- Tariq Abdul Razzaq Ba’aj Age unknown male named by Euphrates Post, who said Russia was likely to blame killed
- Raed Abdel Razzaq Ba’aj Age unknown named by Euphrates Post, who said Russia was likely to blame killed
- Mohammed Abdul Rahman Ba’aj Age unknown male named by Euphrates Post, who said Russia was likely to blame killed
- Abdul Razzaq al-Atrash Age unknown male killed
Summary
Sources (39) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Tabani (قرية التبني), Western Deir Ezzor governorate. Sources mention airstrikes in the vicinity of two containers or two old structures at the Shihah junction (مفرق شيحا), or the entrance road to the village of Al Tabani, coming from al Buweitiyah (البويطية). Airwars was unable to locate Shihah junction, but the coordinates for the entrance road to Al Tabani are: 35.599386, 39.827688. Other landmarks that were mentioned, but that Airwars was unable to locate these due to limited satellite imagery, are the Al-Akeisat neighbourhood School (مدرسة حارة العكيصات) and The Electricity Company (مؤسسة الكهرباء)
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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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
For August 3rd-4th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed a ISIS financial headquarters.”