Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1924

Incident date

July 16, 2019

Location

الطكيحي, Al Takihi, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.171318, 40.472238 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources alleged that the International Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) carried out an airstrike that struck the home of ISIS leader Ragheb Hussein al-Hindoura at dawn, and claimed that the airstrike killed between 10 to 15 relatives in the house adjacent to Hassan’s house and wounded others. The dead and wounded relatives were reported as civilians.

According to one source, Hassan refused to surrender to Coalition forces and opened fire, which escalated the situation and prompted the Coalition forces to shell his house after it was besieged by SDF forces, resulting in one member of the SDF killed and two others wounded.

Deir Ezzor 24 reported: “Special sources confirmed that the aircraft of the International Coalition bombed the house of the leader of Da`esh Hassan Ibrahim, killing 15 civilians, and wounded others.”

According to Step News, not 15 but 10 civilians were killed in the attack. The source added that five ISIS members were wounded in addition to two members of SDF.

Euphrates Post however, reported that these allegations were false. The source claimed:

“All the news reported by some media about the killing of two civilians during the raid and aerial landing carried out by the SDF supported by the international coalition forces in the village of Al-Takihi at dawn today is not true. The operation resulted in the killing of the leader of the state organization Ragheb Hussein Al-Hindoura and injury of his wife only and the arrest of two of his father’s brothers and two others who are unknown”.

In response, Deir Ezzor 24 reported that it received new information from military sources that Ragheb Hussein Ahmed al-Ibrahim was a security official for ISIS in several area’s of Deir Ezzor countryside, especially the area known as the Triangle “Al-Bassirah – Ash-Shahil – Al-Tukayhi”. The source added that the member of the SDF killed was named Abdul Hamid al-Faihan.

Orient added: “It is noteworthy that the international coalition forces carried out dozens of landings in the countryside of Deir Ezzor, targeting elements, leaders and cells”.

In September 2019 the Coalition announced that it had assessed this allegation of civilian harm to be non-credible. Their monhtly civilian casualty report noted, “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.”

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Wife of Ragheb Hussein al-Hindoura
Adult female injured

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Takihi (الطكيحي), for which the coordinates are: 35.171318, 40.472238

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 15
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–5

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of ISIS' leaders Ragheb Hussein al-Hindoura was reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Takaihi village in Al Basra on July 16th (via Euphrates Post).

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Other
  • Stated location
    in Al Takaihi, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 26, 2019
  • July 16, 2019, in Al Takaihi, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 15
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–5

Sources (14) [ collapse]