Airwars assessment
According to local sources, Coalition airstrikes and artillery shelling on the town of Al Baghouz led to the deaths of up to nine civilians, including two or three children.
Coalition officials indicated to Airwars that it is likely that this incident matches one of the following concession of civilian harm. In their February 2019 press release, they noted: “Coalition aircraft engaged an ISIS staging area. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally killed due to their proximity to the target location”, following an allegation they received from social media.
Deir Ezzor 24 stated in a tweet that “the bombing by warplanes” took place “at dawn”. A number of sources, including Shaam News, reported that these airstrikes were accompanied by “land to land missile attacks by the international Coalition forces located in al Omar oil field”.
A Step News correspondent detailed that the artillery strikes originated from French troops who targeted “the outskirts of the town, Bagouz Fawqani, and the towns of Al-Shafa, Al-Sousse”.
The victims were identified in a tweet by Al Rased And Euphrates Post also later listed an anonymous fatal victim of the strike, along with a named married couple who were injured.
The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (2)
- Bassam Al-Qasim Age unknown male killed
- Abdullah Al-Qasim Age unknown male killed
Family members (4)
- Khair Allah al-Qasim Adult male injured
- Wife of Khair Allah al-Qasim Adult female injured
- Child 1 of Khair Allah al-Qasim Child killed
- Child 2 of Khair Allah al-Qasim Child killed
- Sallouh Al-Attiyah Age unknown male killed
- Saad Al-Yousef Age unknown male killed
- Ammar Al-Fazza Age unknown male killed
- Child of Fantal Child killed
Summary
Sources (14) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]
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Original tweet text (since deleted) via @alrassedei "Massacre as a result of the bombing by military aircraft to the town of # Albaguz in the countryside of the city of Albuqmal resulted in a number of martyrs and wounded, including: Sallouh Al-Attiyah, Saad Al-Yousef, Ammar Al-Fazza’, Bassam Al-Qasim, Abdullah Al-Qasim, and of Khairallah’s children and one of Fantal’s children. "
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention several buildings in Baghuz Fawqani (باغوز فوقاني), the village of Shajlah (الشجلة). Photos and videos from social media show damaged and destroyed buildings (including the remains of a car next to a large crater in the ground) at this location: 34.469968,40.954784
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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May 31, 2018, near Al Baghouz, Syria, via social media report. Coalition aircraft engaged an ISIS staging area. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally killed due to their proximity to the target location.
Original strike reports
For May 31st, the Coalition reported that “On May 31 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of seven engagements against Daesh targets. Near Abu Kamal, four strikes engaged one Daesh tactical unit, destroyed three Daesh vehicles, one Daesh command and control center and one Daesh fighting position.”
Thursday 31 May – Typhoons and Tornados destroyed two compounds in eastern Syria, used by the terrorists as a headquarters and equipment store…The focus for RAF attacks for the remainder of the week were terrorist facilities in eastern Syria towards the border with Iraq. On Thursday 31 May, flights of Tornados and Typhoons joined forces to deliver an attack with twelve Paveway IVs against two large adjoining compounds, which were being used by Daesh as a headquarters, weapons store and muster point. All twelve weapons hit and destroyed their intended targets.
For the 2nd straight week, Dutch F-16s fired weapons near Abu Kamal and Hajin in Deir Ezzor. The Dutch MoD reported that between May 30th-June 5th, aircraft targeted ISIS fighters and logistics centers in three missions. Jets supported ground troops in 9 missions, including in Nineveh, Iraq.
‘Weekoverzicht Defensieoperaties Nieuwsbericht | 06-06-2018 | 12:00 In de strijd tegen terreurorganisatie ISIS ondersteunden Nederlandse F-16’s grondtroepen tijdens 9 missies. Bij 3 daarvan zijn wapens ingezet. Dat gebeurde in de omgeving van Abu Kamal en Hajin in de provincie Deir Al Zour in Oost-Syrië. Hierbij zijn onder andere ISIS-strijders en logistieke opslagplaatsen aangevallen. Ook is gevlogen boven de Irakese provincie Ninawa. Een overzicht van Defensieoperaties in de week van 30 mei tot en met 5 juni 2018. Militaire instructeurs in Irak leren Koerdische strijders gebieden te beveiligen. Daarbij staan onder meer wapenhandelingen, medische verzorging, oorlogsrecht en civiel-militaire samenwerking op het programma. De door de coalitie opgeleide instructeurs verzorgen een deel van de opleiding. Een Nederlands chirurgisch team opereert in een Amerikaans role 2-hospitaal in westelijk Irak. Het team werkt nauw samen met Noorse medici.’