Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1509

Incident date

September 18, 2017

Location

قریة السیال, Al Sayyal, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.5713889, 40.9066667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians were killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on al Sayyal village, according to local media – though there was uncertainty regarding two of the victims’ combatant status.

According to Jalaa, on man “of the village of Sayyal died after leaving Abu Kamal for Damascus. His family lost contact with him five days previously”. The source did not say how the victim died.

Two of the named civilians were allegedly killed  “by a raid targeting their vehicle near Sayyal”. However, published images of these men holding guns suggested that they may not have been civilians.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Haj Hamid Ahmed al-Hattroush
Adult male killed
Mohammed Rajab al-Hanashul – aka Abu Zeid
Adult male killed
Khalaf al Dawas
Adult male reportedly Mohammed Rajab al-Hanashul’s “guard” killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Sayyal (قریة السیال), Al Boukamal countryside, Deir ez-Zor governorate. The coordinates for this village are: 34.5713889, 40.9066667.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Haj Hamid Ahmed al-Hattroush died in alleged Coalition strikes on Al Sayyal, September 18th (via Jalaa)
  • Mohammed al-Rajab al-Hanashul, aka Abu Zeid and his guard Khalaf Ahmed al-Dawas, nicknamed Abu Abdullah, were killed by suspected Coalition airstrikes which hit their vehicle near Al Sayyal, September 18th (via Lawhat Bukmalna)
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 Sayyal, 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 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"

For September 18th - 19th the Coalition reported: "On Sept. 18, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and damaged three supply routes"

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
    1 – 3
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]