Airwars assessment
An alleged Coalition airstrike killed a total of 42 people, including 13 civilians in addition to 29 members of ISIS according to local reports.
Among other sources, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Coalition “shelled places on the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, in the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor countryside, where the shelling targeted farms between Al-Baghuz Fawqani town and Al-Marashdah village during the last night.”
The Observatory added that seven civilian victims were from the same Syrian family, of whom three were children. The other six non-combatant victims were men of Iraqi nationality. The death toll was expected to increase because of an unspecified number of civilian casualties with serious injuries.
Syria LiveMap reported seven civilian deaths, which it said took place on the edge of al Baghouz around dawn.
One named ISIS fighter, Bashar al-Ajami, was also reported killed. He was identified as a commander of the al-Hesbah organization, allied to ISIS.
In its monthly civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year – the Coalition conceded the killing of three civilians and the injuring of a fourth in a strike near Marashdah.
According to the report, “January 25, 2019, near Marashidah, Syria, via self-report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh vehicle. Regrettably, three civilians were unintentionally killed and one civilian was unintentionally wounded as a result of the strike. 2664 37SFU781164”.
Asked whether this might be a match for this incident, a Coalition official told Airwars: “Looking at the two reports, there is a chance these two are related as your report mentions some corroborating information, however it appears that this [Airwars] report is an aggregate of incidents and thus it is difficult to single out specific incidents with any certainty.”
Because of our inability to dis-aggregate this event, Airwars has created a separate civilian harm assessment for the confirmed Coalition event [CS1891a]. We have also modified this civilian casualty range to avoid double counting.
In their monthly civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition has indicated that the credibility of this civilian harm allegation is in the process of being assessed.
The incident occured between 12:00 am and 6:00 am local time.
Summary
Sources (13) [ collapse]
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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January 25, 2019, near Marashidah, Syria, via self-report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh vehicle. Regrettably, three civilians were unintentionally killed and one civilian was unintentionally wounded as a result of the strike. 2664 37SFU781164
Original strike reports
Between Jan. 13 - 26, 2019, CJTF-OIR conducted 645 strikes consisting of 1,360 engagements in Syria, and conducted nine strikes consisting of 12 engagements in Iraq.
In Syria, 645 strikes engaged 394 ISIS tactical units, and destroyed 244 fighting positions, 172 supply routes, 85 staging areas, 21 vehicles, 17 buildings, 15 vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, 14 mortar launching sites, 13 manufacturing facilities for improvised explosive devices, 12 command and control nodes, nine tunnels, eight weapons catches, seven pieces of engineering equipment, five launching sites for unmanned aircraft systems, two weapons storage facilities, two mortar tubes, two improvised explosive devices, one unmanned aircraft system, one machine gun, one logistic node and one check point.
For Jan 23rd-29th, France report that French Rafales conducted 7 strikes south of Hajin on ISIS fighters in the mid-Euphrates Valley.
CHAMMAL SITUATION MILITAIRE DU THEATRE Offensive contre les dernières poches de Daech en Syrie Les Forces démocratiques syriennes, dont l’offensive est appuyée par les forces aériennes d’une part et l’artillerie de la Task Force Wagram d’autre part, ont poursuivi leur progression dans la moyenne vallée de l’Euphrate. Après la reprise et la libération de Marashida, les opérations de reconquête des territoires occupés par Daech, menées par les FDS, entrent dans leur dernière phase, avant une période de sécurisation qui lui succèdera. Poursuite des actions en Irak La situation sécuritaire en Irak est stable, et les Forces de Sécurité irakiennes maintiennent un rythme opérationnel élevé. Elles poursuivent leurs efforts visant les flux et ressources logistiques, ce qui se concrétise par des prises de quantités importantes d’explosifs, de munitions et d’armement aux dépends de Daesh, dont il faut rappeler le régime de semi-clandestinité, notamment dans la région du plateau d’Hawija, entre Bagdad et Mossoul. 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. La TF Wagram a réalisé, depuis le territoire irakien, 33 missions de tir (7 éclairements, 4 appuis, 22 aveuglements – bilan du 23 au 29 janvier inclus). Les bases aériennes en Jordanie et aux EAU en appui des operations 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 26 sorties aériennes (bilan du 23 au 29 janvier inclus). Les Rafale français ont conduit 07 frappes cette semaine au sud de la ville d’Hajine sur des combattants de Daech, dans la moyenne vallée de l’Euphrate, là où les Forces démocratiques syriennes produisent leur principal effort. La phase de transition entre le départ du groupe aéronaval américain « USS Stennis » et l’arrivée de renfort d’avions de chasse américains explique l’augmentation du volume des sorties aériennes dont certaines ont été effectuées depuis la Base aérienne des Emirats Arabes Unis. 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. Elle conseille également ponctuellement les brigades qui lui sont subordonnées. La Task Force Narvik quant à elle continue sa participation à l’instruction opérationnelle de l’ICTS (Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service).