Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1753

Incident date

May 20, 2018

Location

هجين/الشعفة, Hajin or al Sha'afa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.57888, 40.93441 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A local monitor reported that a number of civilians were injured after the towns of Hajin and al Sha’afa were shelled on May 20th.

According to Sound and Vision, the “continuous bombardment by French artillery aimed at the city of Hajin and the town of al Sha’afa” harmed non-combatant civilians. The report however failed to provide any more details.

Other sources, like the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also reported “rocket shelling by French and American forces on sites and areas controlled by ISIS”. None of these local reports however made mention of any civilians harmed as a result of these clashes.

Deir Ezzor 24 also reported the death of ISIS fighter Abdul Sattar Fares al-Ani in the bombardment.

In the first of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in the alleged Hajin strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

In the same report, the Coalition also assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in the alleged al Sha’afa strike as “non-credible”, stating that the allegation provided insufficient information on the timing and location of the strike to make a determination.

The incident was first reported on May 20, 2018 at 7:30 am by .

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the two near villages of Hajin (هجين) and Sha’fa (الشعفة). The coordinates for Hajin (هجين) are: 34.6897222,40.83; the coordinates for Sha’fa (الشعفة) are: 34.57888,40.93441  

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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, Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU676401/37SFU774280
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 9, 2020
  • Sep 9, 2020
  • May 20, 2018, in Hajin, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3169/CS1753 37SFU676401

  • May 20, 2018, in Al Sha’afa, Syria, via Airwars report. The report contains insufficient information on time, location, or details to assess its credibility. 3170/CS1753 37SFU774280

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 20th, the Coalition reported that: “On May 20 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of three engagements against Daesh targets. Near Abu Kamal, three strikes engaged one Daesh tactical unit, destroyed one Daesh fighting position and one Daesh supply route."

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

Between 16th and 22nd May, France reports 34 artillery missions in the Euphrates Valley. French aircraft carried out 12 aerial sorties in support of ground troops but no strikes were conducted.

CHAMMAL SITUATION MILITAIRE DU THEATRE Sur le théâtre irako-syrien, l’activité majeure demeure l’offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech en Syrie. Offensive contre les dernières poches daechies en Syrie En Syrie, les forces démocratiques syriennes, appuyées par la Coalition, ont achevé la conquête de la bande frontalière avec la saisie de Baghouz. Le bilan des deux premières semaines d’offensive est positif dans la mesure où tous les objectifs ont été atteints et que la coordination entre les forces démocratiques syriennes et les forces de sécurité irakiennes s’est bien déroulée. L’objectif consiste maintenant à poursuivre la réduction de ces poches qui sont les dernières emprises territoriales de Daech sur le théâtre. Poursuite des actions de sécurisation en Irak En Irak, la semaine a été relativement calme après les élections parlementaires dont le déroulement s’est effectué sans incident sécuritaire majeur. Les forces de sécurité irakiennes mènent actuellement des opérations de sécurisation dans le nord de Bagdad, dans l’Anbar, en Ninive et dans la région de Tikrit. ACTIVITE DE LA FORCE Poursuite des actions de formation au profit des forces de sécurité irakiennes La Task force Narvik poursuit ses actions de formation au profit des soldats irakiens de l’Iraki Couter Terrorism Service (ICTS). Deux stages sont toujours en cours : un stage de restitution au profit de 460 stagiaires et un nouveau stage d’apprentissage au recueil de renseignements au profit d’une vingtaine de stagiaires. La Task force Monsabert conduit quant à elle deux stages au profit des soldats de la 6e division irakienne : un stage d’apprentissage des techniques de fouille opérationnelle et un stage dédié aux techniques de combat tactique dans un environnement pollué par des engins explosifs improvisés. La Task Force Wagram en appui de l’offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech présentes dans la vallée de l’Euphrate Les artilleurs de la Task Force Wagram demeurent engagés en appui de l’offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech dans la vallée de l’Euphrate. Depuis le lancement de l’offensive le 1er mai, ils ont d’ores et déjà réalisé 84 missions de tirs.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]