Incident Code

CS1874

Location

البوخاطر, Al Boukhater: Salahudin al Ayubi mosque, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.673807, 40.871887
Accuracy: Exact location (via Airwars)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

An alleged Coalition airstrike caused the destruction of the Salahudin al Ayubi mosque in Al-Boukhater and killed between 4 and 19 civilians, in what was described “a new massacre”. According to most local sources, 17 civilians were killed in the attack. However one source said that 13 of the dead were ISIS fighters.

Syrian state news agency Sana News was the only source that reported Coalition shelling on local houses in Al-Boukhater village “causing material damage to houses and properties”. It added that among the 17 victims were women and children.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a total of 17 people died of whom 13 were members of ISIS and four were family members of Iraqi nationality.

The Observatory also noted that it “did not know whether [the strike was] by the International Alliance or Iraqi forces.” Since Iraqi airstrikes within Syria were generally classed as Coalition actions at this point, Airwars has not flagged this as a contested case.

Radio Kull was the only source that put the death toll at 19 people.

Dozens were also reported injured.

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
4–19
1–2 Children, 1–2 Women
Civilians reported injured
12–24

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
NOTE: The Coalition abandoned its 52-month record of reporting the location and dates of its air and artillery strikes in late December 2019. Between Dec. 16 and Dec. 29, CJTF-OIR conducted 469 strikes consisting of 1,001 engagements in Syria, and conducted nine strikes consisting of 14 engagements in Iraq. In Syria, 469 strikes engaged 666 ISIS tactical units, and destroyed 291 fighting positions, 153 staging areas, 67 supply routes, 27 command and control nodes, 27 petroleum oil lubricant storage facilities, 25 vehicles, 14 tunnels, 14 weapons cache, 13 improvised explosive device facilities, seven heavy weapons systems, six pieces of heavy equipment, seven buildings, five petroleum oil and lubricant tankers, five bridges, four armored vehicles, two caves, two vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, two motorcycles, two vehicle borne improvised explosive device facilities, three mortar launching sites, one boat, one barge, and one unmanned aircraft system; and damaged seven fighting positions, four staging areas, two vehicles, one armored vehicle, one command and control node and one heavy weapon system; and suppressed 70 fighting positions, 12 vehicles, 10 staging areas and one armored vehicles.
Dutch Military Strike Report
For 12th-18th Dec, Dutch F16s supported ground troops in 9 missions; weapons were deployed in 8 in Abu Kamal. Attacks were carried out on vehicles, logistics warehouses and ISIS fighters. Dutch F16s will fly until Dec 31st when the mandate for Dutch participation ends.
UK Military Strike Report
Sunday 16 December – Reapers and Typhoons carried out seven attacks on Daesh to the south-east of Hajin, hitting nine targets... The following day [Dec 16th], a Reaper spotted a large group of extremists advancing towards the SDF. The Reaper helped disrupt this attempted attack with a series of three Hellfire and one GBU-12 engagements – among the targets struck was a light machine-gun team firing on the SDF – and also provided surveillance support to other coalition aircraft. A second Reaper worked with a pair of Typhoons over a nearby area; the Reaper struck a number of Daesh with a Hellfire, whilst the Typhoons conducted two attacks, hitting four Daesh-held buildings.
French Military Strike Report
From Dec 12th - 18th, France report that Task Force Wagram carried out 24 'shooting missions". Additionally, there were five airstrikes in the Hajin region, Syria.

Media From Sources (6)