Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1883a

Incident date

January 5, 2019

Location

المرشدة, Marishidah, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.493, 40.92339 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an event previously not tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the deaths of two civilians and the injury of another near Marishidah, Syria. This was later declared to be a US-only civilian harm event.

In its July 2019 monthly civilian casualty report, the Coalition noted the following: “Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against Daesh terrorists. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally killed and another unintentionally wounded due to the proximity of the strike.”

The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box. Airwars researchers could not find any public records of reported civilian harm in the area that day.

On May 6th 2020 in its annual report to Congress, the Pentagon identified this as a US-only civilian harm event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

In July 2019 the Coalition provided Airwars with the MGRS for this incident, accurate to within 100m – 37SFU766185

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Table of US-only civilian harm events in Iraq and Syria for 2019, declared by the Pentagon to Congress in May 2020.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    Other
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    2
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    1
  • Stated location
    near Marishidah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU766185
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2019
  • Jan. 5, 2019, near Marishidah, Syria, via self-report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against Daesh terrorists. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally killed and another unintentionally wounded due to the proximity of the strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

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.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]