Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1803

Incident date

October 3, 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

Up to four civilians from the same family including a baby girl (named as the daughter of Hamad Mussah Shahab) died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on a civilian home on Al Soussa, according to sources on the ground.

Sources reported that the Coalition carried out several strikes on the area amid violent clashes between the SDF and ISIS. All reports attributed the civilian harm to Coalition aircraft.

According to the Smart News Agency, “a girl was killed in a bombardment by the international Coalition on Wednesday [Oct 3rd], on the village of al Soussa. Local sources said that coalition aircraft targeted the house of the civilian Hussein al-Ali with an airstrike, resulting in the death of the girl and destruction in a residential neighbourhood”.

Masar Press said that three people died, while Sound and Picture and Step News Agency reported the death of a woman.

The highest death count was give at four (from the same family) by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Smart News additionally reported that a senior ISIS figure was injured during airstrikes on the town that day: “Earlier on Wednesday, coalition aircraft targeted the town of ِAl Sousse (126 km southeast of Deir al-Zour), led to the injuring of an official of the Zakat Bureau (Diwan Al Zakat) in Daesh, a source said.”

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.

The victims were named as:

Daughter of Hamad Mussah Shahab
Child female Infant killed

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
    1 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Deir Ezzor 24 published an image of an infant reportedly killed in the October 3rd strike

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
  • Oct. 3, 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. 3192/CS1803 37SFU8057322558

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 3rd 2018, the US-led Coalition reported the following:
“On Oct. 3 in Syria, coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes consisting of 12 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, 11 strikes engaged 11 tactical units, and destroyed two fighting positions, two mortars, one compound, four supply routes and suppressed one staging area.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

Wednesday 3 October – Tornados, working with a Reaper, destroyed a mortar position in eastern Syria…With the Syrian Democratic Forces continuing their offensive against the last major pocket of Deash-held territory in eastern Syria, centred on Hajin, Royal Air Force aircraft have provided further intensive support. As in the previous month, a particular focus has been on terrorist positions north-east of Abu Kamal. On Wednesday 3 October, an RAF Reaper detected a Daesh mortar which was firing on SDF forces a short distance away. Two RAF Tornado GR4s were also on task in the area, and they struck the mortar position with a single Paveway IV guided bomb.

Dutch Military
  • English
    /
    Original

For Sept 26th – Oct 3rd, Dutch F-16s supported ground troops during nine missions over Syria and Iraq. Weapons were deployed during four missions – in Deir Ezzor governorate, in the vicinity of Abu Kamal. ISIS weapons, a logistics warehouse and ISIS fighters were targeted.

‘Midden-Oosten In de strijd tegen terreurorganisatie ISIS ondersteunden Nederlandse F-16’s grondtroepen tijdens 9 missies boven de Syrische en Irak. Tijdens 4 missies zijn wapens ingezet. Dat gebeurde in de Syrische provincie Deir al Zour, in de omgeving van Abu Kamal. ISIS-wapenopstellingen, een logistieke opslagplaats en ISIS Strijders waren het doelwit.’

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

For October 3rd-9th, France report that the three CAESAR guns of TF Wagram carried out 18 shooting missions from Iraq. In the same week, aircraft conducted three strikes north of Abu Kamal in Syria.

CHAMMAL SITUATION MILITAIRE DU THEATRE Offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech en Syrie L’opération pour reprendre la poche d’Hajine dans la moyenne vallée de l’Euphrate, lancée le 10 septembre, se poursuit. La progression est rendue difficile, Daech ayant notamment recours à une vaste palette d’engins explosifs improvisés. La coalition poursuit son action en appui des forces démocratiques syriennes (FDS). Poursuite des actions de sécurisation en Irak En Irak, les forces de sécurité irakiennes (FSI) poursuivent leurs opérations de sécurisation qui ont permis la neutralisation d’abris, de caches et de matériel. Daech maintient sa stratégie d’évitement. ACTIVITE DE LA FORCE Le dispositif français déployé au Levant n’a pas connu d’évolution notable. La Task Force Wagram en appui de l’offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech présentes dans la vallée de l’Euphrate La Task Force Wagram appuie l’offensive des forces démocratiques syriennes contre Daech dans la région d’Hajine. Cette semaine, les trois canons CAESAR de la TF Wagram ont réalisé, depuis le territoire irakien, 18 missions de tir (éclairement, fumigène, harcèlement – bilan du 03 au 09 octobre inclus). Depuis le début de son engagement, la Task Force Wagram a réalisé 1947 missions de tirs. Les bases aériennes en Jordanie et aux EAU en appui des opérations Au sein de la coalition, les aéronefs français basés en Jordanie et aux Émirats arabes unis poursuivent leurs actions contre Daech. Cette semaine, les aéronefs de l’opération Chammal ont réalisé 18 sorties aériennes (bilan du 03 au 09 octobre inclus) et conduit trois frappes en appui des FDS au nord d’Abou Kamal en Syrie. Bilan total de l’action du pilier appui aérien depuis le 19/09/14 : 8546 sorties / 1462 frappes / 2254 objectifs neutralisés. TF Monsabert et Narvik La Task Force Monsabert poursuit sa mission d’instruction de la 6ème division irakienne. Elle conseille l’état-major de cette division et, ponctuellement, les brigades qui lui sont subordonnées. Ainsi, aux mois d’août et septembre, Monsabert a réalisé une dizaine de missions en différents lieux de Bagdad, notamment dans un hôpital de la ville ou pour rendre une expertise visant à préparer les travaux de construction d’un mur de protection. Début octobre, le « partenariat artillerie » a mené un audit du 106ème bataillon d’artillerie, ce qui a permis d’aider les Irakiens à planifier et conduire une campagne de tirs incluant, pour la première fois, des tirs de nuit.’

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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

Sources (15) [ collapse]