Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1564 RS2583

Incident date

October 2, 2017

Location

Abu Kamal, al Mohadatha school, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.466049, 40.907593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 11 and 15 civilians including an entire family died and dozens more were wounded in a reported airstrike near the al Mohadatha school in Abu Kamal, according to local media. Sources, however, were conflicted as to whether the US-led Coalition or Russia were to blame. A number of reports did not identify the warplanes responsible.

Almayadeen reported that the raids struck “Al Katef street, grain silos (Sawame’ Al Huboub) and the perimeter of Al-Shafei Mosque, and Dwar Al Masrya in the city of Albuqmal, killing five civilians.”

Another source reported that “Street Furn next to the mosque of Zahra, Al Sukaria, Siht house, buildings next to al Muhadetha school, Hari two houses, Alduir 9 raids material damage, al Mujawda material damage” were also damaged in the raid.

Jisr TV attributed the event to the Coalition, reporting that “international coalition aircraft carried out a new massacre in the town of Abu Kamal, killing 13 civilians, nine of them from one family. A further 15 were seriously wounded.”

Al Boosleh (a pro-regime source), also pointed towards the Coalition, putting the death toll at twelve. Citing the state-run SANA news agency it reported “a new attack by the International Coalition led by the United States of America. SANA said that 12 civilians, mostly children and women, were killed as a result of the bombing of the American coalition aircraft to the homes of the people in the village of Baqrs Fuqani and the city of Albuqmal rural Deir Alzour.”

However, according to Deir Ezzor 24, Step News Agency and Sound and Picture, Russia was responsible. Death counts in reports varied between 11 and 14 civilians.

There was serious damage to civilian homes and many victims trapped under the rubble for hours, according to local media.

As well as the nine named victims, VDC named five unidentified adult males.

The incident occured at 05:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Awad Hasan al-Jawad
Adult male killed
Yousef Mahmoud al-Hawalah
Adult male killed
Wala’a Al-Sayed Hibet
Adult female killed
Othman al-Rawi
Child male killed
Lian Al-Rawi
Child female killed
Wife of Ahmad al-Thabet al-Rawi
Adult female killed
Son of Ahmad al-Thabet al-Rawi 1
Child male killed
Son of Ahmad al-Thabet al-Rawi 2
Child male killed
Son of Ahmad al-Thabet al-Rawi 3
Child male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Abu Kamal (البوكمال), for which the coordinates are: 34.466049, 40.907593. The strikes targeted residential buildings near Mohadatha school (المحدثة) and the area around the Fatima al Zahra mosque (الزهراء فاطمة) for which due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further    

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 15
  • (5 children2 women7 men)
  • 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 (46) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Abu Kamal, 2nd October 2017. (via Al Aan TV)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Abu Kamal, 2nd October 2017. (via Fjr Albokamal)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Abu Kamal, 2nd October 2017. (via Fjr Albokamal)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Abu Kamal, 2nd October 2017. (via Fjr Albokamal)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Abu Kamal, 2nd October 2017. (via @MousaAlomar)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Abu Kamal, 2nd October 2017. (via Syrian PC)
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 Abu Kamal, 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 October 1st-2nd the Coalition reporetd: “Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed two ISIS well heads and a fighting position.Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two headquarters.”

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 15
  • (5 children2 women7 men)
  • 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 (46) [ collapse]