Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1905

Incident date

March 10, 2019

Location

مخيم الباغوز, Al Baghouz camp, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.447579, 40.953426 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between seven and ten civilians were killed – including children – and as many as 18 were wounded, following air and artillery on Al Baghouz camp. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Most media blamed the US-led Coalition, and more than seven sources attributed the blame to both the Coalition and the Kurdish-based ٍSDF militia.

Horrya News put the death toll as high as ten, while other local sources reported that only seven were killed. 

@DeirEzzor24 initially tweeted that there was heavy artillery shelling by a helicopter. Many sources additionally claimed that “the international Coalition air force targeted [with] several raids on the farms in the town of Al-Baghouz”.

Local media initially specified that there were exactly three shells fired on the vicinity. The following day, Horrya News reported that there were also “dozens of missiles”. 

Smart News Agency tweeted this was one of the “last strongholds of the ISIS organisation”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • (0–2 children0–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–18
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (11) [ collapse]

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 March 10 - 23 2019, CJTF-OIR conducted 250 strikes consisting of 398 engagements against Daesh targets in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, CJTF-OIR conducted 193 strikes consisting of 338 engagements, engaged 346 Daesh tactical units, and destroyed 104 vehicles, 63 supply routes, 39 fighting positions, 31 vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, nine tactical vehicles, six fuel tankers, four weapons caches, two command and control nodes, one tunnel, one tanker for petroleum oil and lubricants, one mortar system, and one checkpoint."

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • (0–2 children0–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–18
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (11) [ collapse]