Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1486 RS2445

Incident date

September 14, 2017

Location

البصيرة, Al Basira, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.15618, 40.42716 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died in an airstrike on al Basira, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether the Coalition, Russia or the regime were to blame. Reports said that the strikes hit to post office building.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Moen_dndil attributed the event to the Coalition. However, Micro Syria blamed Russia, reporting that “A child was also killed in an air strike on the town of Khasham and another civilian in an air strike on the town of al-Basira in the eastern suburb of Deir al-Zour. Activists accused Russian aircraft of carrying out the raids.” The Euphrates Post also pointed towards Russia.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights and Qasioun, the regime was to blame.

Some other sources didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Awwad Hasan al Saroot
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes on l-Basira, Sept 14th 2017. (via Ahmed Ramadan)
  • wad Hassan Al-Sarout from the town of Al-Shuhail, killed in a strike on Al-Basira, Sept 14th (via Euphrates Post)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the airstrike targeted the Ka’a al-Attal/Koo Attal area (outskirts) and the Al Barid (post office building) in the village of Busayrah (البصیرة). The coordinates for this village are: 35.15618, 40.42716. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify these locations further

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 Basira, Deir Ez Zor, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU299912
    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 September 13th-14th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, nine strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed two tactical vehicles, an ISIS fuel station and a fighting position.”

For September 14th - 15th, the Coalition reported: "Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two vehicles". It later reported, "On Sept. 14, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria six strikes destroyed an ISIS UAS, a fighting position, an ISIS supply route and suppressed three fighting positions"

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Friday 15 September – a Reaper supported coalition airstrikes near Dayr az Zawr, and delivered two attacks itself against extremists in the open, whilst Typhoons destroyed a Daesh-held building… On Friday 15 September, a Reaper was again very active north-east of Dayr az Zawr; it provided support to coalition airstrikes which destroyed three Daesh-held buildings, then conducted two attacks on its own account with Hellfire missiles against terrorists moving through the area. Nearby, a Typhoon flight bombed a further Daesh-held building.’

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]