Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1879

Location

الشعفة, Al Shaafa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.57888, 40.93441
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1754)

According to sources on the ground, alleged Coalition air and artillery fire targeted a house which ISIS was reportedly using, killing several ISIS members in addition to a number of civilians.

According to the official Al Shaafa Facebook page, one of the shells landed on the house of Al-Hamad Al-Ali, killing both him and Ibrahim Al-Hasan. His daughter was reported wounded along with Ibrahim Al Hassan and Ahmed Al Hassan. It wasn’t specified whether the men were civilians or ISIS members, though their shared family names indicated the former.

The incident may have been one of a number in the town that day. Al Shaafa Facebook page added that “more than 20 air strikes of the International Coalition targeted most neighborhoods of Al-Shifa” and “more than 300 artillery shells were fired”. It added that the raids killed overall more than 20 civilians and more than 70 wounded.

In what may be a related or separate incident, Shaam News reported that “One of the raids [on al Shaafa] hit a house in which elements of ISIS were holed up, killing several of them.”

Victims

Family members (4)

Ibrahim Al-Hasan
Adult male killed
Daughter of Ibrahim Al-Hasan
Child female injured
 Ibrahim Al Hassan
male injured
Ahmed Al Hassan
male injured

Individuals

Al-Hamad Al-Ali
Adult male killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Civilians reported killed
2–20
1–5 Children, 1–5 Women, 2 Men
Civilians reported injured
3–70

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Shaafa (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
Between Dec. 30, 2018 and Jan. 12, 2019, CJTF-OIR conducted 575 strikes consisting of 1,147 engagements in Syria, and conducted 13 strikes consisting of 19 engagements in Iraq. In Syria, 575 strikes engaged 485 ISIS tactical units, and destroyed 308 staging areas, 220 fighting positions, 105 mortar, rocket and artillery systems, 57 supply routes, 50 manufacturing facilities for improvised explosive device and vehicle borne improvised explosive device, 31 command and control nodes, 26 vehicles, 19 weapons caches, 18 mortar launching sites, 18 petroleum oil and lubricant storage facilities, 11 heavy and light weapon systems, eight reservoirs and tankers for petroleum oil and lubricants, eight pieces of heavy equipment, seven vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, six tunnels and caves, four buildings, two unmanned aircraft systems, one weapons facility, one logistics hub and one fuel storage.
French Military Strike Report
For Jan 2-8, France report that task Force Wagram carried out 28 missions of which 12 were strikes. Meanwhile aircraft conducted two strikes in support of the SDF.