Incident Code

CS1821a

Location

هجين, Hajin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.67595, 40.87086
Accuracy: Within 100m (via Coalition)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

In an incident previously not tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the injuries of four civilians in an airstrike near Hajin. There are indications that this was either a French or Dutch action.

In its April 2019 civilian casualty report, the Coalition noted: “Coalition aircraft conducted one strike on a Daesh improvised explosive device factory. Regrettably, four civilians were unintentionally wounded due to their proximity to the impact point.” The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The Pentagon’s annual civilian harm report to Congress issued in May 2019 initially flagged this as a US action. However, in the following year’s report the DoD noted: “the incident on October 31, 2018, in Hajin, Syria, that was assessed to have
resulted in injuries to four civilians was not attributable to U.S. military operations.”

Alongside the US, only Dutch and French aircraft within the Coalition potentially conducted strikes near Hajin on this date, according to official records.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Declared strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Confirmed
A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported injured
4

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Known belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Credible / Substantiated
Given reason for civilian harm
Other
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
4
Stated location
near Hajin, Syria
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
37SFU714387
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For October 30th-31st: “Near Hajin, six strikes engaged six tactical units, and destroyed nine vehicles, seven supply routes, and one vehicle borne IED.”
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2019-04-25
Original Source
Oct. 31, 2018, near Hajin, Syria, via self-report. Coalition aircraft conducted one strike on a Daesh improvised explosive device factory. Regrettably, four civilians were unintentionally wounded due to their proximity to the impact point.
U.S. Forces Civilian Casualty Statement
2019-05-02
Original Source
DoD assessed that there were credible reports of civilian casualties caused by U.S. military actions in Iraq and Syria during 2018. As of January 24, 2019, DoD assessed that 13 reports of civilian casualties during 2018 were credible, with approximately 42 civilians killed and approximately 7 civilians injured as a result of U.S. military actions. The following table contains additional details about each instance during 2018 that was assessed to have resulted in civilian casualties. As of January 24, 2019, 28 reports of civilian casualties from 2018 remained to be assessed. 31-Oct-18 Hajin Air 4 civilians injured 0 civilians killed
U.S. Forces Civilian Casualty Statement
2020-05-06
Original Source
Two errors were identified in the Section 1057 report for U.S. military operations in 2018 with regard to OIR. The incident on October 31, 2018, in Hajin, Syria, that was assessed to have resulted in injuries to four civilians was not attributable to U.S. military operations.