Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1809

Location

السوسة, Al Soussa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.528889, 40.9675
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1673)

Up to five civilians were reported killed in air and/or artillery strikes on the town of al Soussa during ongoing heavy fighting.

Most sources described a Coalition air or artillery strike on one of the town’s bakeries, which reportedly killed four non combatants. Al Alam News for example reported that “US Coalition forces targeted the bakery at Sousse east of Deir al-Zour, which led to the martyrdom and wounding of a number of civilians.”

Baladi News placed the death tolll at four – blaming SDF artillery for the casualties. [However Airwars understands that only the US-led Coalition deployed artillery at al Soussa]: “According to local news sources, SDF forces stationed in Zahra al-Bagouz heavily shelled a bakery in the town of Al-Bagouz, east of Deir al-Zour, on Saturday, killing four civilians and wounding others.”

In what may be a separate or linked event, Smart News noted the following: “A civilian was killed and six others, all women and children, were wounded on Saturday in bombing by International Alliance aircraft on the town of Sousse (126 km southeast of Deir al-Zour) in eastern Syria. A local source told SMART that coalition aircraft bombed the town under the control of Daesh, adding that the injured were four children and two women.”

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
Fair
Civilians reported killed
4–5
1 Woman
Civilians reported injured
6

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

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
"On Oct. 13 in Syria, coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes consisting of 34 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Abu Kamal, 23 strikes [2-3 British] engaged 18 tactical units, and destroyed 11 supply routes, 6 mortars, four staging areas, one weapons cache, one piece of heavy equipment, one IED factory, and one fighting position. "
UK Military Strike Report
‘Saturday 13 October – Typhoons bombed a terrorist strong-point, and Tornados hit a mortar position, a command post and a second strong-point in eastern Syria…On Saturday 13 October, Typhoons bombed a Daesh strong-point north of Hajin, whilst Tornados struck a second such defensive position north-east of Abu Kamal. The Tornados also attacked a mortar position and a Daesh command post in the same area, using Paveway IVs.’
Dutch Military Strike Report
For the week of 11th – 17th October, Dutch F-16s supported ground troops during nine missions. Weapons were deployed four times, in Deir Ezzor governorate, in the vicinity of Hajin, and Abu Kamal. ISIS weapons were the target.
French Military Strike Report
For October 10-16th, France report that the three CAESAR guns of Task Force Wagram carried out, from Iraqi territory, 28 firing missions (lighting, smoke, harassment, destruction). Aircraft made 18 sorties and carried out two airstrikes, north of Abu Kamal in Syria. Totals for Iraq and Syria since Sept 19th 2014: 8564 sorties, 1464 strikes, 2256 targets ‘neutralised’.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2020-09-09
Original Source
Oct. 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. 3198/CS1809 37SFU805225