Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1324

Incident date

August 3, 2017

Location

معيزيلة, Maizeela, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.615, 40.456944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that an airstrike on an oil tanker killed the driver and “lightly” wounded two other civilians near Maizeela in the southern countryside of Abu Kamal.

Only one source, Al Natek Network, said that the Coalition carried out the strike. Other reports didn’t apportion blame.

The incident was first reported on August 3, 2017 at 12:08 pm by @olay6663.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the alleged Coalition strike targeted an oil tanker on a road near the town of Maizeela (معيزيلة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available, Airwars was unable to locate the road or oil tanker. The coordinates for the town of Maizeela (معيزيلة) are: 34.615, 40.456944

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (4) [ 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 Maizeela, 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 August 3rd-4th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed a ISIS financial headquarters.”

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • For August 3rd-9th, France report 1 strike in Iraq and 1 in Syria, along with 9 artillery strikes in Mosul. (via EtatMajorFR)

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]