Incident Code

CS1762

Location

الجزاع, Al Helo or al-Jazza village, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.09601, 41.08939
Accuracy: Exact location (other)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1589)

Several sources reported up to fifteen civilians killed, including ten children and an unspecified number of women, when Coalition or other aircraft allegedly targeted the village of al Helo/ Al Jazza near al Dashisha, in southern Hassaka.

Marsad al Hassaka initially stated that the bombardment took place “at dawn today” and caused the death of 8 civilians, among whom were members of the al Mudhi family. The source also claimed that “internationally banned cluster bombs” were used in the strike. In a second post it raised the tally, noting that “warplanes carried out a new massacre in the southern countryside of Al-Hasakah. The likely Coalition aircraft targeted the village of Al-Jazaa, resulting in a new massacre and the deaths of 11 civilians from the village, in addition to the injury of others. The number of martyrs is still increasing due to the presence of serious injuries and missing persons under the ruins caused by the aerial bombardment of the village.”

Zaman al Wasl also made mention of the specific munitions used, stating that the Coalition “bombed the village of ‘Jazaa’ north of the town of ‘al Dashisha’ with cluster munitions”, killing and wounding about 10 people.

Baladi News reported the highest tally: fourteen civilians, mostly women and children and “dozens seriously injured”. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported eleven civilians killed, including five children. SOHR stressed that the death toll is expected to rise due to the critical situation that some victims were in and the fact that there were still people missing underneath the rubble caused by the strike.

Step News Agency reported a death toll of fourteen civilians. However, Al Hayat has made clear that this number is based on the total number of civilians casualties in that area since the start of the month.

Cluster munitions are not known to be used by Coalition or Iraqi forces – though have been documented as being fired by both Assad government and Russian aircraft. There is however confirmation through tweets from both the ‘SDF Front’ and Iraqi mobilization units that they launched a campaign in the vicinity of the Iraqi-Syrian border near al Dashisha.

In July 2019, Human Rights Watch published the following assessment of this event: “On or around June 4, 2018 at 5 a.m., an airstrike hit a house on the outskirts of al-Helo village, killing 15 civilians, including 10 children, and injuring 2 more, according to witnesses and relatives of victims. Both the US-led coalition and Iraqi forces reported engagements near al-Shaddadi, where al-Helo village is located, at this time, Airwars reported.

“Witnesses said that the plane dropped one large and later two smaller munitions. The first strike killed 9 of the 17 civilians in the house. Three survivors fled and were then hit in a strike outside the house. A third strike killed a man and two of his children who had survived the initial strike and were attempting to flee.

“Witnesses said that they were concerned about follow-up strikes so only went to the strike site around 5 p.m. Only two victims there survived.

“Human Rights Watch visited the site on February 9 and could identify a large crater where a house had been. Satellite imagery reviewed showed the destruction of a single building from detonation of at least one large air-dropped munition between about 10:30 a.m. on June 3 and 10:30 a.m. on June 4, 2018. Two additional detonation sites were identified during the same period corresponding to witness accounts.

“Human Rights Watch spoke to one survivor of the attack and a witness from the village. They said that no ISIS fighters were in the house, which was located on a road leading to the oil rig under ISIS control. ISIS members guarding the rig often used the road.

“One of the survivors said she had received medical treatment supported by the World Health Organization. However, she said that neither the SDF nor the coalition had contacted them or provided assistance, and that she did not know how to file a claim.

“The coalition assessed the strike and found that ‘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.’ On May 29, the coalition told Human Rights Watch that based on information provided they would assess the allegations.”

In their monthly civilian harm report on September 16, 2022, CJTF-OIR admitted that four civilians had been killed in the strike. On November 3, 2023 CJTF-OIR issued a correction for this incident, stating “Coalition aircraft conducted a strike on ISIS fighters and an ISIS staging area. Regrettably, 12 civilians were unintentionally killed.”

Victims

Family members (1)

al Mudhi family
Up to eight members of one family killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Declared strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Confirmed
A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
15
10 Children, 2 Women
Civilians reported injured
2–24

Geolocation Notes

According to Human Rights Watch, which visited the scene, the village’s name is al-Helo: “GPS Coordinates: 41°5’22″E 36°5’46″N (MGRS: 37SFV 88096 96619)”.

Satellite image taken June 6, 2018 of US-led coalition airstrike locations in al-Helo village. Damage analysis by Human Rights Watch; Imagery © DigitalGlobe-Maxar Technologies 2019; Sources: EUSI, Google Earth. [Human Rights Watch]

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Open incident
Civilian deaths conceded
12
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
near Jazaa village, Syria
MGRS coordinate
37SFV8811796621
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For June 4th, the Coalition stated that “On June 4 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes consisting of 20 engagements against Daesh targets.... Near Al Shadaddi, two strikes engaged one Daesh tactical unit and destroyed one Daesh logistics hub and one Daesh heavy machine gun."
UK Military Strike Report
Monday 4 June – a Reaper destroyed an armed terrorist truck concealed under cover in eastern Syria…A Reaper provided further close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Euphrates valley on Monday 4 June. An armed terrorist truck was reported to be to the north of Abu Kamal, and the Reaper’s crew were able to identify the vehicle, parked under cover in an attempt to conceal it, after a thorough search. A Hellfire missile destroyed the vehicle, with a number of subsequent secondary explosions as ammunition on the vehicle caught fire.
French Military Strike Report
France report that the Wagram Task Force continues to support the offensive against the last pockets of Daesh present in the Euphrates Valley. Since the launch of the offensive on May 1st, it has carried out 111 shooting missions including 16 for the past week – May 30th to June 5th. Over the past week, the aircraft of Operation Chammal have carried out 20 sorties in support of local forces engaged on the ground, mainly missions of intelligence gathering and aerial reconnaissance. No airstrikes were carried out.
Dutch Military Strike Report
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.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2018-10-26
Original Source
June 4, 2018, near Jazaa village, Syria, via Airwars. 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.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2023-11-03
Original Source
June 4, 2018, near al Helo, Syria, via Human Rights Watch. Coalition aircraft conducted a strike on ISIS fighters and an ISIS staging area. Regrettably, 12 civilians were unintentionally killed. 2753/CS1762 37SFV8811796621

Media From Sources (1)