Conflicts

Russian Military in Syria
U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Codes

CS1696 RS2796

Location

الجردي الشرقي, Al Jarthi al Sharqi, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.868793, 40.6480229
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 23, 2025

(Previous Incident Codes: S1493R2617bRS2799)

Up to 33 named civilians including 16 children and six women died and at least 10 more were wounded in airstrikes on al Jarthi al Sharqi, according to local media. VDC-SY reported that the airstrike was conducted on the 12th of December, whereas our research shows it was in fact on the 13th of December. All but one source said that the US-led Coalition was responsible. The Step News Agency was alone in pointing to Russia.

According to Al Haall, there were “more than eight raids on civilian houses”.

Euphrates Post blamed the Coalition, reporting “more than 20 martyrs and a number of wounded, most of them displaced civilians from the town of Sbeikhan”.

Al Qouriya media centre, also attributing the event to the Coalition, put the death toll at 25, naming the same victims as Euphrates Post.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who also blamed the Coalition, “the warplanes targeted places in the village after midnight just before the control of SDF of it. The airstrike caused of a massacre of 23 people of one family including 8 children under the age of eighteen, and 6 citizen women over the age of eighteen. The casualties are displaced from Sbikhan town to the village of Eastern al-Jerthi, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation”.

Other sources blaming the Coalition included SANA, Eldorar, the Shaam News Network, Baladi and Smart, which put the death toll at 11, with 10 more wounded.

However, the Step News Agency said that Russia was responsible.

VDC-SY named the victims and reported on the death of 16 children and six women. 

The Syrian Network for Human Rights later reported a higher civilian casualty figure, stating that “at least 29 civilians, including 21 children and 5 women, killed as International Coalition warplanes fired missiles on al Jerthi al Sharqi village in Deir Ez-Zour governorate eastern suburbs, on December 13, 2017.”

Victims

Family members (6)

the only surviving one of them is the father (Saleh)
the only surviving one of them is his son Mohammed

Individuals

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult female killed
Adult male killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Child female killed
Child male killed
Adult male killed
Child male killed
Adult female killed
Child male killed
Child female killed
Child female killed
Child female killed
Child female killed

Key Information

Country
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
11–33
16 Children, 6 Women, 5 Men
Civilians reported injured
10

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Jarthi Al Sharqi (الجردي الشرقي), for which the coordinates are: 34.868793, 40.6480229

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For December 12th-13th, the Coalition reported: “Near Abu Kamal, seven strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units and destroyed two ISIS vehicles and a heavy weapon.”
UK Military Strike Report
Tuesday 12 December – a Reaper struck a group of terrorists firing on the Syrian Democratic Forces in the east of the country...The Syrian Democratic Forces have continued to clear a number of villages held by Daesh along the Euphrates in eastern Syria, between Abu Kamal and Mayadin. Royal Air Force Reapers have provided significant support to these operations, their very long endurance, precision weaponry and advanced surveillance equipment allowing them to maintain effective overwatch for the SDF advances on the ground. On Tuesday 12 December, a Reaper identified a small group of Daesh extremists firing on the SDF. The Reaper’s crew kept very close watch on a number of civilians, including women and children, who were evacuating the village, and waited until they were clear of the area before conducting a successful attack on the terrorists with a Hellfire missile
French Military Strike Report
The Wagram Task Force continues its support for security operations in the Euphrates Valley. This week, two firefighting missions were carried out for the benefit of the Iraqi security forces (balance sheet from 6 to 10 December). Since the beginning of its mission, the TF Wagram, realized 1589 shooting missions. This week, the air activity focused on intelligence missions for the benefit of Iraqi security forces and Syrian democratic forces.There were 20 sorties (Nov 6th-10th) but no strikes were conducted. It gave rise to 20 aerial sorties (balance sheet from 06 to 10 December). During these outings no hits were made. Total balance since 19/09/14: 7561 sorties / 1422 strikes / 2209 targets destroyed
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2018-10-26
Original Source
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
Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
The Russian Ministry of Defence announced being active in unspecified parts of Syria until December 11th, 2017.

Media From Sources (1)