Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1947

Incident date

May 22, 2020

Location

الشبكة, الشحيل, Al Shabaka, Al Shuhail, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.096944, 40.456111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed in alleged joint SDF and US led coalition operation in Al Shuhail in Deir Ezzor on May 22nd, 2020 according to local sources.

Euphrates Post reported that “Muhammad Al-Ouda Al-Khaled Al-Addad from the city of Al-Shuhail, was killed during a security operation carried out by SDF supported by the international coalition forces and helicopters in the Al-Shabaka neighborhood, in the city of Al-Shuhail.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the victim was shot by SDF. “Muhammad Al-Ouda Khaled al Addad from al Shabaka neighborhood in al Shuhail city in the eastern suburbs of Deir Ez-Zour governorate was shot dead by Syrian Democratic Forces personnel during a raid in the neighborhood on May 22nd.”

Suriye.u.a.d blamed the coalition reporting “the death of the civilian Muhammad Al-Oudah Al-Khaled during the airdrop of an international coalition in the city of Al-Shuhail, east of Deir Ezzor.”

Deirezzor24 blamed both forces saying that “International coalition forces, accompanied by SDF forces, just carried out an airdrop operation on a house in the Shabakah neighborhood in the town of Al-Shuhail, east of Deir Ezzor, according to the reporter of Deir Ezzor Network 24. Our correspondent said that the operation targeted the house of Ahmad Al-Oudah Al-Khaled, and its results are not known yet, as displaced persons from Al-Baghouz and Al-Bukamal countryside live in the mentioned area.

In the third of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Shabaka (الشحيل), allegedly in the centre of the village of Al Shuhail (الشبكة), for which, due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Shuhail are: 35.096944, 40.456111.

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU327847
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 14, 2020
  • May 22, 2020, in Al Shabaka, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3203/CS1947 37SFU327847

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]