Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1802

Incident date

October 1, 2018

Location

مسجد الهشيم السوسة , Al Soussa: al Hashim mosque, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that the US-led Coalition bombed the al Hashim mosque in al Soussa. However, it was unclear whether the 29 to 33 people reported killed were civilians or members of ISIS.

The Step News Agency said that the strike was carried out at dawn on October 1st, while the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the mosque was severely damaged and rendered inoperable.

Step News added that there were” reports of dead and injured” people – but didn’t give their combatant status.

According to Smart News, 29 people were killed in the raid – but, again, this source didn’t state whether these were members of ISIS or civilians.

The Syrian Observatory “monitored the killing of 33 ISIS members in its last enclave east of Euphrates”. Athr Press instead stated that ” A number of civilians were killed and others were injured when International Alliance aircraft targeted the Al-Hashim” mosque in the town of Al-Sousse, east of Deir Al-Zour, with a number of raids.”

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.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 33
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]

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
    37SFU797230
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 9, 2020
  • Oct. 1, 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. 3191/CS1802 37SFU797230

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 1st 2018, the US led Coalition stated the following: “On Oct. 1 in Syria, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of 10 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, four strikes engaged one tactical unit, and destroyed one vehicle, one mortar tube and two supply routes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 33
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]