Airwars assessment
According to local sources, up to eight civilians including four children and two women were killed in a Coalition airstrike on the town of Al Sha’afa.
Most sources reported that 17 people were killed overall, including eight civilians and nine or more ISIS fighters. The Syrian Network for Human Rights added that four children and two women were among the eight civilians who perished. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights was the only source stating that 14 ISIS fighters were killed.
According to Al Soussa Youth, the casualties were a result of multiple “international Coalition air raids targeted the town of Al-Sha’afa”. According to the outlet, the first raid was near a car wash. Later, eleven bodies were recovered from the site, four of them civilians.
The second attack targeted a house in the al Hassya area, reportedly killing 4 civilians. The third raid targeted a four-wheel drive vehicle at an intersection at Ramtha. Another attack targeted an ISIS vehicle “near the orchard”. Syria News quoted Syrian state media SANA as identifying the bombed sites as “the Rafa’a al-Sattam complex, the fence complex, the Saeed al-Tawfeh al-Hazza and al-Husayya areas”.
Sound and Picture reported that in addition to the eight civilians that were killed, 14 others were injured in the attack.
According to a correspondent for Radio al Kul, Coalition aircraft dropped leaflets on the “areas under the control of the organization [ISIS] in the eastern countryside of Deir Al-Zour, calling on it to withdraw from the area.”
In correspondence with Airwars, Deir Ezzor 24 provided a list of what it said were eight unidentified civilian victims – including 4 boys, 2 women and an adult male – in “raids by fixed wing aircraft belonging to the international coalition on the town of Sha’afa”.
In September 2019 the Coalition announced that it had classed this allegation of civilian harm as non-credible. Their monthly civilian harm report noted, “After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action.”
The incident was first reported on June 21, 2018 at 2:00 pm by .
Summary
Sources (16) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention that the alleged Coalition airstrike targeted a car wash and a house in the area of Hassia (الحصية) in the town of Al-Sha’afa, for which the coordinates are: 34.614722, 40.933056. Other areas mentioned in Al Sha’afa include “the complex of spring Sattam, junction fence and Bustan Saeed Al-Hatzah”
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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June 21, 2018, in Al Shafah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action.
Original strike reports
The Coalition publicly reported at the time that “On June 21 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of six engagements against Daesh targets. Near Abu Kamal, five strikes destroyed five Daesh supply routes."
Thursday 21 June – Typhoons bombed a hostile position which persisted in firing on coalition forces in southern Syria...On Thursday 21 June, coalition forces operating against Daesh in the south of Syria were fired on by hostile positions, not believed to be held by Daesh. Although the coalition forces decided to withdraw to attempt to de-escalate the situation, one particular position continued to fire on them. As an act of collective self-defence, RAF Typhoons dropped a single Paveway IV on the position, which successfully removed the threat to our coalition partners.
France report that from June 20th to 26th, Task Force Wagram carried out 14 artillery shooting missions in the Euphrates Valley. A total of 162 have been conducted since the start of the offensive on May 1st. Aircraft carried out 15 sorties but once again no airstrikes were conducted.
‘OPÉRATION CHAMMAL SITUATION MILITAIRE DU THEATRE Offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech en Syrie En Syrie, l’offensive contre les dernières emprises territoriales de Daech se poursuit. Menée par les forces démocratiques syriennes, coordonnée avec les forces de sécurité irakiennes et appuyée par la coalition, elle a déjà permis de reprendre plus de 300 km2 de territoire à Daech depuis son lancement le 1er mai. Poursuite des actions de sécurisation en Irak En Irak, les forces de sécurité irakiennes poursuivent leurs opérations de sécurisation sur l’ensemble du territoire. Ces opérations permettent la saisie régulière de grandes quantités d’armes et de munitions de Daech. ACTIVITE DE LA FORCE Formation au profit des forces de sécurité irakiennes La Task Force Narvik mène actuellement cinq stages au profit de l’Iraki Counter Terrorisme Service (ICTS). Ils couvrent les domaines de formation suivants : la lutte contre les engins explosifs, le maniement et l’entretien d’armements lourds, le déplacement tactique en convoi, le secourisme au combat et le tir de précision.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, la Task Force Wagram a réalisé 162 missions de tirs, dont 14 sur la semaine écoulée (bilan du 20 au 26 juin inclus). Depuis le début de son engagement, la Task Force Wagram a réalisé 1821 missions de tirs. Les bases aériennes en Jordanie et aux EAU en appui des opérations Sur la semaine écoulée, les aéronefs de l’opération Chammal ont réalisé 15 sorties aériennes en appui des forces locales engagées au sol (bilan du 20 au 26 juin inclus). Aucune frappe n’a été réalisée. Bilan total de l’action du pilier appui aérien depuis le 19/09/14 : 8174 sorties / 1450 frappes / 2241 objectifs neutralisés.’
Dutch F16's supported ground troops in the fight against terrorist organization ISIS. This occurred during 6 missions above the provinces Al Anbar in Iraq, Al Hasakah and Deir al Zour in Eastern Syria. Weapons were deployed during one mission in the area of Hajin, targeting an ISIS building.
In de strijd tegen terreurorganisatie ISIS ondersteunden Nederlandse F-16’s grondtroepen tijdens 6 missies. Dat gebeurde boven de provincies Al Anbar in Irak, Al Hasakah en Deir al Zour in Oost-Syrië. Bij een missie zijn wapens ingezet. Nederlandse jachtvliegtuigen vielen in de Oost-Syrische provincie Deir al Zour, in de buurt van Hajinn een ISIS-gebouw aan.