Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1788

Incident date

August 6, 2018

Location

السوسة, Al Soussa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

One child was killed and her mother was wounded in an airstrike on Al Sousse, local media said. Most sources blamed the US-led Coalition, though there was one allegation against the regime.

According to the Syrian National Movement, “a female child was killed and her mother was injured by the International Alliance shelling the town of Sousse”. The pair were said to have originally lived in Abu Kamal.

Sound and Picture reported that “the International Air Force targeted the villages of Al-Bagouz and Al-Sousse in the countryside of Abu Kamal with several air strikes, resulting in a number of civilian casualties.”

Step also said a girl died and a number more civilians were wounded in Coalition strikes.

Al Soussa Youth said that the raids occurred on the shops of Ahmad al Turki and Mohsen al Turki.

However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights blamed the regime, reporting that “in Deir Ezzor province, a citizen woman was killed due to shelling by the regime forces on areas in Al-Susah town in Deir Ezzor countryside.”

On March 10, 2022 in the CJTF-OIR Civilian Casualty Report, the Coalition reported this incident to be “non-credible”, stating that “After review of all available evidence it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Coordinates released by the Coalition place the event at 34.53392, 40.95823

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Open incident
  • Stated location
    near al Soussa, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU7971223100
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 10, 2022
  • Aug. 6, 2018, near al Soussa, Syria, via Airwars report. After review of all available evidence it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike. 3177/CS1788 37SFU7971223100

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 6th, the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in Syria, asserting: "There were no reported strikes conducted in Syria on August 6, 2018."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]