Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1703

Incident date

December 28, 2017

Location

تل الذهب, Tal Al Thahab or Tal Al Shayr, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

35.95669, 41.20882 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians died in an alleged Coalition strike on Tal Al Thahab or Tal Al Shayr, near the Syrian-Iraqi border, according to local sources on the ground.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “three civilians from the same family, including a child and a woman, were killed as International Coalition warplanes fired missiles on Tal al Thahab village in Hasaka governorate southern suburbs, on December 28, 2017.

Al Hasaka Arabea, named victims as Daham al-Haran and his wife and one of his sons.

Zaman ALwasl reported that “local sources said that helicopters of the International Coalition carried out a landing in order to arrest a leader of the Islamic State living in the village of Tel Al-Dahab. There was a clash during the operation, killing a civilian resident named Daham al-Oran al-Baalu along with his son and wife. Sources added that Coalition forces kidnapped the rest of the family of the victims and transferred them to the US base in the city of Shaddadi”.

The Coalition later confirmed that it had killed three and injured two civilians that day in the area.

Their May 2018 civilian casualty report noted: “During an attack two civilians were unintentionally injured and three civilians were unintentionally killed when they crossed into the impact area.”

The Coalition provided Airwars with the location for this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box. The location given placed the event in the Tal al Shayr area.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Daham al-Haran
Adult male killed
Wife of Daham al-Haran
female killed
Son of Daham al-Haran
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    Entered target area just prior to or after munition released
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    3
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    2
  • Stated location
    near Rayhaniyah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV992814
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 2018
  • December 28, 2017, near Rayhaniyah, Syria, via self-report. During an attack two civilians were unintentionally injured and three civilians were unintentionally killed when they crossed into the impact area.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 27th-28th, the Coalition reported: ” Near Abu Kamal, 10 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units and destroyed three ISIS vehicles, a heavy machine gun, an ISIS line of communication and a logistics center.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]