Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1500

Incident date

September 17, 2017

Location

Abu Kamal, Sena'a neighbourhood, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.465674, 40.918536 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians including an entire family died in alleged Coalition airstrikes on Abu Kamal, local media reported.

According to Euphrates Post, “warplanes believed to belong to the international coalition carried out a number of air strikes targeting the town of Abu Kamal and its countryside. The attack targeted the crude oil burners in Al Bagouz and Al Sousse, and the house of a civilian in the town of Abu Kamal near the automated bakery as well as three cars belonging to Daesh in the town of Al Hari, burning them completely and killing all those inside. Another vehicle belonging Daesh was also struck in the vicinity of Al Sha’afeh, along with the home of a member of Daesh near the al Sukkariya roundabout. The raids resulted in a number of martyrs and wounded civilians and the names of the victims will be published as soon as they are received”.

Eight victims were later named by Euphrates Post.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights was among sources blaming the Coalition, and put the death toll at at least seven including four children and two women. It said that the raids struck the Sena’a neighborhood. Shaam News Network put the number killed at eight, as did SHRC, both attributing the event to the Coalition.

According to Al Jazeera, alleged Coalition “raids targeted the housing district and the Industrial Zone and Dwar Al Sukkariyah in Abu Kamal, in addition to crude oil refineries in the towns of Al Bagouz and Al Shafa in the countryside of the city.”

Smart – also pointing towards the Coalition – added that “aircraft bombed civilian houses near the departure and places storing food for animals,the vicinity of the old hospital and Aisha Hospital and the industrial sector in the city of Abu Kamal (124 km southeast of Deir ez Zawr)”. All4Syria was alone in reporting that the event occurred on September 18th.

In August 2019, the Coalition announced that it had classed this allegation of civilian harm as non-credible. Their monthly civilian casualty report noted: “After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Badr Atallah Al-Haj Kardoush
Age unknown killed
Samir Bader Attallah Al Hajj Kardoush
Child killed
Amir Bader Attallah Al Hajj Kardoush
Child killed
Mounir Badr Atallah Al Hajj Kardoush
Child killed
Wife of Badr (Basma al-Hamad)
Adult female killed
Yazin al Hassan
Child killed
Mohammed
Adult male from al-Joura neighborhood killed

The victims were named as:

Abeer Al-Hamad
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (4 children1–2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • 'The children Samir, Amir, and Munir Badr Attallah al Haj Kardoush, killed with their parents in International Coalition warplanes missiles fired on al Sena’a neighborhood in al Boukamal city in Deir Ez-Zour governorate eastern suburbs, September 17, 2017.' via SN4HR
  • Badr al-Haj Kardouche, his wife and children Amirumnir and Samir killed in alleged airstrikes on Abu Kamal, September 17th (via @mohmmad_alkazerr)
  • Mounir Badr Atallah al - Haj Kardoush died in alleged airstrikes on Abu Kamal, September 17th (via EuphratesPost)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the area of Al Sena’a (الصناعة) (industrial neighbourhood) in the city of Abu Kamal (البوكمال). Airwars was unable to verify the location of this neighbourhood, however, a number of specific locations was mentioned in the countryside of Abu Kamal: near the automated bakery, according to Euphrates Post (34.465674, 40.918536); the Al Sukkariyah (السكریة) roundabout area (34.476270, 40.911713, see also incident CS1501); areas near the bus station (34.466939, 40.915339) and the vicinity of the old and Aisha hospital (34.460755, 40.907872).

  • The automated bakery, the Al Sukkariyah (السكریة) roundabout area, the bus station and the Aisha hospital in the city of Abu Kamal (البوكمال)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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
    Other
  • Stated location
    near Abu Kamal, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU762155
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 29, 2019
  • Sep. 17, 2017, near Abu Kamal, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For September 16th – 17th the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS boat.”

For September 17th - 18th, the Coalition reported: "Near Abu Kamal, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a logistics node and an ISIS headquarters" and "Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a VBIED and an ISIS headquarters"

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Sunday 17 September – a Reaper eliminated a truck-bomb near Dayr az Zawr, while Tornados bombed a weapons store near Abu Kamal in eastern Syria…The next day, a Reaper conducted yet another successful attack north-east of Dayr az Zawr, eliminating a truck-bomb with a Hellfire, whilst to the south-east, close to the border with Iraq, two Tornados bombed a weapons store near Abu Kamal.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (4 children1–2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (20) [ collapse]