Geolocation
Airwars assessment
A named male civilian was reported killed in a confirmed Coalition air or artillery strike on Hijan when it struck his home. All sources blamed the Coalition for the event.
Some sources reported that the incident was on November 24th and others on the 25th. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the Coalition fired missiles on Hijan. Hajin Magazin described the shelling as “savage”.
On September 20 2021, the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF – OIR), acknowledged the event in their monthly civilian casualty report, but stated: “After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the village of Hajin (هجين), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.6897222, 40.83. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (6) [ collapse]
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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September 20, 2021 Release No. 20210920-03 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Monthly Civilian Casualty Report SOUTHWEST ASIA – Since the beginning of operations in 2014, the Coalition and partner forces have liberated nearly 110,000 square kilometers (42,471 square miles) from Daesh, eliminating their self-proclaimed territorial caliphate and freeing 7.7 million people from Daesh oppression. The Coalition will continue to work with partner forces to deny Daesh any physical space and influence in the region as well as deny Daesh the resources they need to resurge. The Coalition conducted 34,991 strikes between August 2014 and the end of July 2021. During this period, based on information available, CJTF-OIR assesses at least 1,417 civilians have been unintentionally killed by Coalition actions since the beginning of Operation Inherent Resolve. We follow a rigid targeting process for all of our strikes to ensure strict adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict while attempting to avoid collateral damage. Every accidental loss of life is tragic, and it will remain our goal to take all feasible precautions to avoid putting civilians in danger in our pursuit of a ruthless enemy. In the month of July, CJTF-OIR carried over 106 open reports from previous months and received no new reports. CJTF-OIR completed two civilian-casualty allegation assessment reports. CJTF-OIR assessed both reports as non-credible. 105 reports are still open, including one that CJTF-OIR had previously closed but reopened due to the availability of new information. The results of each investigation of an allegation will fall into one of two categories, either "credible" or "non-credible." An assessment of "credible" means that our team investigated the allegation and determined that, based on available evidence, more likely than not, the death was the result of Coalition action. A "non-credible" evaluation means that the information we have to assess the allegation, using our available resources, cannot determine, to the standard of "more likely than not", that the death was the result of Coalition action. There could be a number of reasons for this, to include no corroborating strikes at that time or that location, there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation, or there is simply insufficient or overly vague data in the allegation itself. __________________________________________________________________________________________ CJTF-OIR Website CJTF-OIR Twitter CJTF-OIR Facebook CJTF-OIR Imagery Email | CJTF-OIRmedia@mail.mil | Phone | +1.813.529.4636 | Kuwait | 00.965.221.6340 and 430-5193# Mailing Address | CJTF-OIR Public Affairs | APO AE 09306 1 COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE Public Affairs Office It is important to note that while the Coalition has a substantial quantity of data at its disposal to investigate every claim, we welcome any information from any source that will enable us to determine the truth. Furthermore, we routinely reopen closed investigations based on new information that might help us attain more accurate results. Non-Credible Reports: After a thorough review of the facts and circumstances of each civilian casualty report, CJTF-OIR assessed the following two reports as non-credible. At this time there is insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition action resulted in civilian casualties. Numeric Key: [CJTF-OIR Allegation Number] / [Non-Governmental Organization Allegation Number] [Grid Coordinate]. The Military Grid Reference System coordinates specified in these reports are derived from the original allegation source. 1. Nov. 24, 2018, near Hajin, Syria via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action. 3246/CS1857 37SFU677407 2. Jan. 29, 2019, in al Baghouz, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action. 3268/CS1893 37SFU786153
Original strike reports
For November 24th, the Coalition publicly reported: On Nov. 24 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 65 strikes consisting of 86 engagements against ISIS targets.
Near Hajin, 65 strikes engaged 24 tactical units and destroyed 28 firing positions, eight vehicles, six fighting positons, four supply routes, four IED factories, two buildings, five command and control facilities, two staging areas, one vehicle borne IED, one piece of engineer equipment, one checkpoint, one weapons cache and one AAA system.
For November 25th it reported: "On Nov. 25 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 14 strikes consisting of 26 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Hajin, 14 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units and destroyed one vehicle, two fighting positons, two supply routes, one UAS launch site, three buildings, one command and control center and one weapons cache. "
On September 20 2021, CJTF-OIR published a strike report stating:
The Coalition conducted 34,991 strikes between August 2014 and the end of July 2021. During this period, based on information available, CJTF-OIR assesses at least 1,417 civilians have been unintentionally killed by Coalition actions since the beginning of Operation Inherent Resolve.
We follow a rigid targeting process for all of our strikes to ensure strict adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict while attempting to avoid collateral damage. Every accidental loss of life is tragic, and it will remain our goal to take all feasible precautions to avoid putting civilians in danger in our pursuit of a ruthless enemy.
In the month of July, CJTF-OIR carried over 106 open reports from previous months and received no new reports. CJTF-OIR completed two civilian-casualty allegation assessment reports. CJTF-OIR assessed both reports as non-credible. 105 reports are still open, including one that CJTF-OIR had previously closed but reopened due to the availability of new information.
1. Nov. 24, 2018, near Hajin, Syria via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was determined that, more likely than not, civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition action. 3246/CS1857 37SFU677407
From Nov 21st-27th, France report that Task Force Wagram carried out 62 firing missions (35 lighting, 27 destruction) from Iraq territory. Aircraft carried out 16 sorties and two strikes.
‘CHAMMAL SITUATION MILITAIRE DU THEATRE Offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech en Syrie Dans la région d’Hajine, profitant de conditions météo défavorables, Daech a récemment lancé des offensives contre les positions des forces démocratiques syriennes (FDS). L’appui de la coalition, notamment l’engagement de l’artillerie, a permis de stopper ces offensives. Au bilan, cette action a occasionné des pertes dans les deux camps, sans faire évoluer la ligne de front. Poursuite des actions de sécurisation en Irak En Irak, les opérations des forces de sécurité irakiennes (FSI) se poursuivent, avec un effort le long de la frontière syrienne pour contrer toute tentative d’action de Daech depuis la Syrie. ACTIVITE DE LA FORCE Le dispositif français déployé au Levant n’a pas évolué. 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 (TF) Wagram appuie les forces démocratiques syriennes contre Daech dans la région d’Hajine. Elle a réalisé, depuis le territoire irakien, 62 missions de tir (35 éclairement, 27 destruction – bilan du 21 au 27 novembre inclus). Depuis le début de son engagement, la Task Force Wagram a réalisé 2227 missions de tirs. Les bases aériennes en Jordanie et aux EAU en appui des opérations Les aéronefs français basés en Jordanie et aux Émirats arabes unis poursuivent leurs actions contre Daech, au sein de la coalition. Cette semaine, les aéronefs de l’opération Chammal ont réalisé 16 sorties aériennes (bilan du 21 au 27 novembre inclus). Les Rafale français ont conduit 2 frappes cette semaine. Bilan total de l’action du pilier appui aérien depuis le 19/09/14 : 8670 sorties / 1481 frappes / 2280 objectifs neutralisés. Les Task Forces Monsabert et Narvik poursuivent leurs missions de formation La Task Force (TF) Monsabert poursuit sa mission d’assistance et de conseil de l’état-major de la 6ème division irakienne, qui est en charge de la sécurisation de l’ouest du grand Bagdad. Insérée au sein du quartier général de la division, la TF se compose d’une centaine de militaires dont les expertises variées permettent de dispenser des instructions opérationnelles adaptées aux besoins émis les Irakiens. Depuis le mois d’octobre, treize stages ont ainsi été organisés, dans des domaines variés comme le secourisme de combat, la lutte contre les IED, le combat en zone urbaine, la lutte contre la menace NRBC ou encore la maintenance ou l’entraînement physique et sportif. Ils ont permis de former quelque 240 militaires irakiens, dont une majorité de cadres ayant pour vocation de devenir instructeurs à leur tour. Monsabert intervient également au profit de l’école d’artillerie irakienne : 75 cadres de cette école ont ainsi été entraînés pendant plus d’un mois. L’artillerie est une capacité de premier ordre pour l’armée irakienne qui l’emploie actuellement à la frontière irako-syrienne pour prévenir toute incursion de Daech depuis la Syrie. Composée d’une quarantaine de militaires, la TF Narvik, qui est implantée dans les faubourgs de Bagdad, forme et conseille les membres de l’Iraki Counter Terrorism Service (ICTS). Mi-octobre ont débuté cinq formations dans les domaines suivants : mise en œuvre d’armes lourdes, combat motorisé, lutte contre les engins explosifs improvisés, sauvetage au combat et tir de précision. D’une durée de douze semaines chacune, ces formations permettent d’instruire les stagiaires de l’école de spécialité de l’ICTS mais également de conseiller les instructeurs irakiens.’
For November 21st - 27th 2018, the Dutch MoD reported that Dutch F-16's supported ground troops in the fight against IS during 9 missions. Weapons were deployed during 3 missions above Deir Ezzor in Syria, targeting vehicles, logistical places and IS-fighters.
In het overzicht van 21-27 Nov laat MinDef weten tijdens 9 missies F-16's te hebben ingezet ter ondersteuning van grondtroepen in de strijd tegen IS. Bij 3 missies boven Deir al Zour in Syrie werden wapens ingezet. Voertuigen, logistieke plaatsen en IS-strijders zijn aangevallen.