Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1524

Incident date

September 25, 2017

Location

Al Mayadin, Central, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.016667, 40.444167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Ten civilians – mostly women and children – reportedly died and dozens more civilians were injured in multiple airstrikes on different locations in Al Mayadin, local media reported, though sources were conflicted as to whether the Coalition or Russia was responsible.

Qasiuoun laid the blame with the Coalition, reporting that jets struck “the comprehensive pharmacy” in the centre of al Mayadin.

According to RFS Media Office, “Warplanes, believed to be Russia, carried out several air raids targeting different areas inside the cities of Al-Mayadin and Abu Kamal, east of the city of Deir Ghazur, resulting in a number of dead and wounded, mostly children and women.

The Syrian Revolution in the City of Mayadeen said: “Warplanes launched two raids this morning. The first targeted the comprehensive clinic and a house that had been confiscated by the organization [IS]. The building housed IS widows and the strike killed at least 10 women and children and wounded others. The second raid targeted an empty house, which was confiscated by the organization near the post office, and destroyed it without causing any injuries.”

Jisrtv didn’t name the culprit, but also said that warplanes had targeted “a center for the shelter of widows and families of dead ISIS members in the market area in the city”. It put the death toll at ten, “all of them women and children, in addition to dozens of wounded”, adding that this event came “after dozens of raids by the Coalition Russia in the region, leaving several massacres.”

According to the Smart News Agency, “five unidentified military aircraft launched five raids on the rural recovery center and post office and the Al Shamla pharmacy near the agricultural bank in the city (46 km east of the city of Deir Ezzor), killing 10 civilians, mostly children and women, and wounded others.”

Justice For Life added that an “air strike at around 7 am this morning targeted a pharmacy next to the commercial bank in the town of Al-Ma’ayadin east of Deir Al-Zour, which led to its total destruction”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention multiple strikes on the city of Al Mayadin (المیادین), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.016667, 40.444167. One specific location mentioned is the Al Shamla (الشاملة) pharmacy and residential buildings near the Agricultural Bank in the city of Al Mayadin (المیادین). Airwars was unable to locate the pharmacy, however, the coordinates for the Agricultural Bank are: 35.017705, 40.456274.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (2–4 children2–4 women)
  • 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 belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

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 Mayadin, 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 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed a fighting position.” It additionally reported that “On Sept. 24, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroyed two fighting positions; and damaged an IED factory.”

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (2–4 children2–4 women)
  • 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 belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]