Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1798

Location

السوسة, Al Soussa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.528889, 40.9675
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1641)

Local sources reported dead and wounded civilians after “artillery and missile shelling” on the outskirts of Al Soussa.

Step News Agency reported in full: “Dead and wounded civilians by artillery and and a rocket attack by the Syrian Democratic Forces on the outskirts of the town of Soussa countryside # Deir al-Azur East.”

However the SDF had no known access to artillery, suggesting that the Coalition was responsible.

Deir Ezzor 24 tweeted a similar report, but did not identify the culprit.

Almanar instead claimed that the civilians had been harmed after coming under attack from rocket propelled grenades.

In the second of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, 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.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Soussa (السوسة), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.528889, 40.9675. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Democratic Forces
Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
Not yet assessed
U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
MGRS coordinate
37SFU805225
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
The Coalition reported the following: “On September 13 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes consisting of 15 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, 12 strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units, and destroyed nine ISIS supply routes, four ISIS fighting positions, one ISIS compound, one ISIS sentry location, one ISIS staging area and one ISIS counter battery fire and damaged one ISIS compound and suppressed two ISIS mortar firing points."
Dutch Military Strike Report
For the third consecutive week Dutch jets deployed weapons. Aircraft targeted ISIS storage units during 2 missions in Deir Ezzor governorate and near Abu Kamal. Between September 13th-18th, F-16s supported ground troops during 9 missions in Deir Ezzor and Iraq.
French Military Strike Report
For Sept 12th-17th, France report that Task Force Wagram has carried out 22 artillery ‘firefights’ from Iraq this week. Aircraft conducted 19 sorties but there were no airstrikes.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2020-09-09
Original Source
Sep. 13, 2018, in Al Soussa, 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. 3188/CS1798 37SFU805225