Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1655

Incident date

November 1, 2017

Location

سويعية, Al Suwei'iya village, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.4338889, 40.9333333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians died in an airstrike on al Suwei’yia village, according to local media. A number of parties were blamed.

Euphrates Post didn’t say who was responsible for the airstrike, though Al Araby and Syrian Press Center blamed shelling by Iraqi forces.

According to Alaraby, “three civilians, including two women, were killed and three others were killed by an Iraqi air strike”. 7al added that 12 were also wounded in the incident.

Eldorar said that it was unknown whether the warplanes belonged to the Iraqi army or to the Coalition. It also put the death toll at three. Baladi News along with 7al said that Russian/ Assad regime aircraft may instead have been responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Suwayyah (سويعية) just South of Abu Kamal, for which the coordinates are: 34.4338889, 40.9333333

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (7) [ 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

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 26, 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 November 1st-2nd: “Near Abu Kamal, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle. Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units, destroying a fighting position and damaging a line of communication.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]