Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS179

Incident date

February 18, 2016

Location

الدشيشة, Dashisha, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.0436, 41.16444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilian brothers named as Farhan and Adnan Ali Khodar were reported killed after their motorbike was struck in an alleged Coalition airstrike.

According to the Damascus Center, the two brothers were buried together.

In their February 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Farhan Ali Khodor
Adult male killed
Adnan Ali Khodor
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dashisha (الدشيشة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.0436, 41.16444. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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

Sources (5) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV949909
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020
  • Feb. 18, 2016, in Dashisha, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2908/CS179 37SFV949909

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For February 17th-18th the Coalition reported that “Near Al Hasakah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL building.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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

Sources (5) [ collapse]