Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1364

Incident date

August 12, 2017

Location

حطلة, Hatla, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.34169, 40.19897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An adult male, identified as Kassir Fawzi Al-Abeed Al-Nasser was reported killed in alleged airstrikes on Hatla town, Deir Ezzor. It was not entirely clear who was to blame for this civilian casualty event. However multiple sources cited Russia or the Syrian Regime, whilst two did not specify a culprit.

According to a Facebook post by Alsharq Al Souri, Kassir Fawzi Al-Abeed Al-Nasser was killed inside his home as a result of missiles targeting the house.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Amal neighbourhood (العمال) in the town of Hatla (حطلة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location of this neighbourhood. The generic coordinates for the town of Hatla (حطلة) are: 35.34169, 40.19897.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Kasser Fawaz Ahmad Al-Sulaiman Al-Nasir, killed in an airstrike on Hatla, August 12th, according to local sources (via Mahmoud Al Haj Ibrahim"
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 Hatla, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV089115
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 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 11th-12th the Coalition reported “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed an ISIS vehicle.” It additionally reported that “On Aug. 11, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, two strikes destroyed 11 ISIS oil stills and three oil barrels.”

Unknown
  • English
    /
    Original

For Aug 9-15th, France report 2 strikes in Raqqah, Syria – and 13 artillery missions in Mosul.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]