Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1885

Incident date

January 10, 2019

Location

السوسة, Al Soussa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.528889, 40.9675 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Coalition airstrike struck a field hospital in the outskirts of the town Al Soussa in the eastern suburb of Deir Ezzor on the night between Thursday January 10th and Friday January 11th, killing more than 15 non-combatants including doctors and wounded patients being treated by ISIS on the site, according to reports. It is unclear how many of the victims were affiliated to ISIS.

Step News blamed both ”SDF artillery’ and Coalition airstrikes. All other sources blamed only the Coalition.

Among the dead was the so-called Minister of Health with ISIS, Muwaffaq Askar Mohammed, nicknamed Abu Abdul Qadir. According to a local source, he was a physician born in 1972 in the town of Grajij and a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, University of London.

He worked as a teacher at the Faculty of Medicine at Deir Al-Zour University and supervised the work of the Health sector in many cities of Deir al-Zour during ISIS’s occupation. One source pointed out that three of his sons were killed while fighting with ISIS in Syria and Iraq

According to Madar Daily, the incident occurred in Al Shaafa, while other sources claimed it was in Al Soussa.

On March 10, 2022 in the CJTF-OIR Civilian Casualty Report, the Coalition reported this incident to be “non-credible”, stating that “After review of all available evidence it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”

The incident occured after midnight.

Geolocation notes

Coordinates released by the Coalition place the event at 34.52889, 40.9675

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • "Minister of Health and the leader of Daesh" Dr. Mowaffaq Mahdi al-Askar alleged killed in a Coalition airstrike (via Shabab Al Soussa).
  • Description of Dr. Muwafaq Mahdi al-Askar (via Manartalforat2018).

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

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.

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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (22) [ collapse]