Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1374

Incident date

August 15, 2017

Location

Al Meshrab, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.5207354, 39.887538 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four to six civilians were killed in alleged airstrikes in the town of Al-Mesrab in the Western suburb of Deir Ezzor, according to local media.

Sources initially reported only the death of Saleh al-Hamad al-Saud. However the number of fatalities later rose to at least four. The event was described by the Euphrates Post as a “massacre by airstrikes”, though it did not say who was responsible.

The HMC report also made note of “two unidentified martyrs”; as with the majority of sources it did not specify who was to blame.

Two sources attributed the attack to the “regime and its allies”.The Syrian Network for Human Rights tweeted, “Syrian Regime forces are committing a massacre against civilians in the village of al-Misrab-Brif #Deir al-Azur”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Mesrab (المسرب), for which the coordinates are: 35.5207354, 39.887538.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (9) [ 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 al Mesrab, Syria
    Nearest population center

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 14th-15th the Coalition reported “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed six ISIS oil stills.”.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]