Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1706

Incident date

December 31, 2017

Location

السوسة, Sussah, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.528889, 40.9675 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 12 civilians died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Sussah, according to local media.

Deir Ezzor 24 was one of many sources blaming the Coalition. It put the death toll at five. However, most other sources said that a dozen civilians died, with Eldorar adding that dozens more were injured.

Baladi reported that all the victims were all from one family, “the family of Ali Dahsh.”.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, of the 12 killed at least five were children. Al Araby reported the following: “Local media sources said that warplanes believed to belong to the US-led international coalition shelled the outskirts of the town of Sussah in eastern Deir Ezzor, killing eight civilians, including women and children. She added that all the dead from one family, noting the number of wounded, including those critically injured, likely to increase the number of dead, because of the deterioration of the medical situation in the region.”

 

The incident was first reported on December 31, 2017 at 10:00 am by .

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Five members from the family of Ali Dahsh
killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Sussah (السوسة), for which the coordinates are: 34.528889, 40.9675

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 12
  • (5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (14) [ 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 December 30th-31st: “Near Abu Kamal, 10 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units and destroyed two ISIS command and control centers, a fighting position, an ISIS headquarters and two ISIS vehicles.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 12
  • (5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (14) [ collapse]