Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1789

Incident date

August 7, 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

Three civilians died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Soussa, local media reported. The strike also reportedly killed an ISIS leader.

According to the Step News Agency, “the International Coalition conducted a raid on the town of Soussa east of Deir al-Zour and there are reports of civilian casualties”.

Zaman al Wasl reported that “three civilians were killed on Tuesday evening [Aug 7th] after Coalition planes targeted the buildings of residential associations in the town of” Sousse, one of the three most important towns still controlled by ISIS. An ISIS leader, Abu Khadija al Jazairi, also died in the same raid.” Al Ghad al Souri reported the same information.

On Facebook, Al Sousse Youth said that there had been “attacks on al-Sousse a short while ago and there are victims”. Many in the comments asked where the strike was but there no answer. One comment claimed that the victims were not from al Sousse but were all IDPs.

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 incident occured around dusk.

Geolocation notes

Coordinates released by the Coalition place the event at 34.52889, 40.9675

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (4) [ collapse]

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
    37SFU8057322558
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 10, 2022
  • Aug. 7, 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. 3178/CS1789 37SFU8057322558

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 7th-8th, the Coalition reported: “Near Abu Kamal, two strikes engaged one Daesh tactical unit, and destroyed one Daesh vehicle, one Daesh headquarters and one Daesh logistics hub.”

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (4) [ collapse]