Incident Code

CS1826

Location

الشعفة, Al Sha'afa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.57888, 40.93441
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1700)

An alleged Coalition airstrike on an “ISIS headquarters” was reported to have resulted in civilian casualties. Smart News Agency reported that one of four high precision missiles fell on an ISIS HQ and that 12 members of the terror group died. Smart did not report any civilian casualties.

However, according to Deir Ezzor 24, “many civilians were killed” in what it described as “a massacre”. It also described “SDF artillery strikes” on the town – though these most likely related to US-led Coalition actions.

The Al Shaafa Facebook page reported that a total of 20 people died as a result of the attack, but did not specify the number of civilian casualties among the dead.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports on a combined total of 41 civilian casualties as result of airstrikes on Hajin and Al Sha’fa on the 8th and 9th November, of whom most were reportedly of Iraqi nationality but which also included 13 Syrian citizens”. The Observatory also reported that 17 children died as a result of these attacks overall. However most of the fatalities appeared to relate to the Hajin event.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Civilians reported killed
4–20

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Sha’afa (الشعفة), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.57888, 40.93441. 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
Not yet assessed
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For Nov 8th, the Coalition publicly reported: "Near Hajin, 23 strikes destroyed two command and control centers, one IED facility, one logistic facility, five buildings, four tunnels, two staging areas, six supply routes, one fighting position and one UAS launch site."
French Military Strike Report
From Nov 7th – 13th, France reports that the three CAESAR guns carried out 49 ‘fire’ missions from the Iraqi territory – 35 illumination, 14 destruction. Aircraft conducted 18 sorties and 1 strike in support of forces on the ground in Syria.
Dutch Military Strike Report
For November 7th-13th, the Dutch MoD reported that Dutch F-16s supported ground troops during 8 missions in the fight against ISIS. Weapons were deployed in 3 missions near Deir Ezzor governorate, Syria. Targets were ISIS warehouses and fighting positions.