Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Multiple civilian sites in the city were allegedly targeted by Coalition F-16s and F-15Es according to reports, reportedly leading to the deaths of 12 civilians.
According to the Damascus Center, “According to field information, the raids were carried out by white and blue/gray fighter planes on civilian areas inhabited by displaced persons from Dayr ez Zawr, Aleppo and Hassakah. Those areas struck included:
– Ina’ash al Reef clinic – the only health center in the city of Shadadi
– Al Tahrir secondary school
– A’llawi al Saleh school for basic education
– Mohammad al Faress school for basic education.
– al Amal school for basic education.
– The municipal building and the building of the former Socialist Arab Baath Party operating in the town
– The former Building Directorate of the region (of the internal security forces in Syria)”
In its July 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition said there was not enough evidence showing civilians were killed: “Feb. 18, 2016, near Al Shadadi, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the town of Shadadi (الشدادي), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.056316, 40.730438. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (4) [ collapse]
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.
Original strike reports
For February 17th-18th the Coalition reported that “Near Al Hasakah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL building.”
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English/Original
From UK MoD: ‘RAF Tornado GR4s and a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft conducted counter-Daesh missions over Syria on Thursday 18 February. North of Abu Kamal, a Tornado patrol used a pair of Brimstone missiles to strike a large engineering vehicle being used for wellhead repair and maintenance in a Daesh-controlled oilfield. Meanwhile, north-west of Raqqa, a Reaper worked closely with coalition jets to prosecute a group of Daesh extremists who were attacking members of the moderate Syrian armed opposition. The Reaper provided targeting and surveillance support to three successful coalition air attacks, then conducted a fourth attack using its own Hellfire missile.