Airwars assessment
News of dead and wounded civilians at the Abu Kashab junction, Deir Ezzor countryside, was reported by a single source.
Al Natek Network did not specify an actor, the report referring only to “airstrikes”. Airwars researchers tracked claims of both the Coalition and the SDF near the location at the time.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (1) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the area around the Abu Kashab junction (أبو خشب), in the Deir Ezzor countryside. The coordinates for the village of Abu Kashab are: 35.936320, 40.033665. This airstrike likely took place some miles south or east of Abu Kashab, since the village was taken by the SDF in February 2017 already
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 September 10th-11th the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS UAS, a VBIED facility, a VBIED, a vehicle and a tactical vehicle.”
For September 11th – 12th the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, seven strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed two vehicles, a tactical vehicle, a VBIED, and a fighting position.”
‘Monday 11 September – Tornados destroyed two sniper positions in Raqqa, and attacked a Daesh-held compound and terrorists on a motorcycle near Dayr az Zawr…A flight of Royal Air Force Tornados supported the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting in Raqqa on Monday 11 September, when Paveway IV guided bombs were used to destroy two sniper positions. A second Tornado flight patrolled north-east of Dayr az Zawr, where they attacked a group of terrorists in a compound with a Paveway IV. Survivors of the attack then attempted to move to another position on a motorcycle, but were successfully engaged with a Brimstone missile.
‘Tuesday 12 September – a Reaper successfully guided a coalition airstrike onto a truck-bomb workshop near Dayr az Zawr…The following day [Sept 12th], a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft operated in the same area near Dayr az Zawr, and provided precision targeting that enabled a coalition air strike to destroy a truck-bomb workshop and a vehicle that was being prepared there.’