Airwars assessment
One child was reportedly killed and three other civilians, including women and children, were wounded in US airstrikes on the Al Qa’em area near the Syrian-Iraqi borders on June 28, 2021. Local sources also reported that between four and 11 militants, with at least four members of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization, were also killed.
The US Department of Defense confirmed they carried out the airstrikes but initially only recognized killing militants until admitting that “at least one civilian was killed or wounded” in November 2023. This was revised to “one civilian killed” in the 2022 1057 report released April 25, 2024 and then was later revised to admit that one civilian was killed and three others were injured in the 2023 1057 report released December 20, 2024.
Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the airstrikes attacked “residential houses near the Syrian-Iraqi borders in the countryside of al-Bokmal” led to “the martyrdom of a child, the injury of 3 civilians, and material damage”. Sputnik News also pointed to local sources that reported that “a child was killed and 3 other civilians were wounded” and that “the source denied that the target site was a military one, pointing out that the warehouses contain large quantities of oil derivatives, stressing that the fires affected vehicles that were in the target area”.
Eye of Euphrates provided information on both civilian and belligerent casualties, reporting that “the initial statistic that was reached indicates the killing of about 10 members of the Sayyid al-Shuhada militia (4 of them were recognized by the militia), amid reports of a civilian death and wounding of others, including women and children, with varying injuries, after which they were transferred to the city of Deir Ezzor”. According to them, the civilian casualties were caused by “Iranian militias hiding among civilians and taking their headquarters and warehouses within residential areas”.
The US Department of Defense released a statement that “the targets were selected because these facilities are utilized by Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq. Specifically, the U.S. strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq, both of which lie close to the border between those countries. Several Iran-backed militia groups, including Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), used these facilities.”
Various sources reported on militants that were killed in the strikes. According to Euphrates Post, “Iraqi Popular Mobilization Militia mourns four of its fighters who were killed as a result of the American air strikes” and included an image of the four that were killed. @DeirEzzorNow also named four Popular Mobilization members killed as “Karar Abdel Aziz, Hussein Ali Abdul Hussein, Karar Saad Hamdan, Mohamed Al-Fartousi” and later provided an elevated death toll of 11.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights provided a death toll of seven Iraqi Popular Mobilization” militia members in addition to “destruction of an ammunition and weapons depot, in addition to the destruction of another military point for the militias.” Step News gave their own toll of “6 militants were killed and about 12 others were wounded”.
A tweet from @YusufAd76532779 identified that “the house that was targeted by the American aircraft last night near the city of #Albukamal and the Syrian-Iraqi border, which was used by the militias of the “Sayyid Al-Shuhada” as their headquarters, has become completely destroyed and all of the militia members were killed in it”.
Geolocation for the incident was provided by @obretix, @AuroraIntel and @SAMSyria0.
In a civilian casualty assessment released November 3, 2023, the Coalition classed this event as ‘credible’, admitting that “Strikes on this date targeted an operational and weapons storage facility utilized by militias that engage in unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. and Coalition personnel and facilities. An assessment found that at least one civilian was killed or wounded given the nature of the target buildings and observable effects of the deployed munitions.”
In the Department of Defense’s 2022 annual report on civilian casualties (1057 report), released April 25, 2024, the US military revised their estimate to “one civilian killed”. The DOD further revised this information in the 2023 1057 report, admitting that one civilian was killed and three others were injured. The report also provided additional details about the incident: “U.S. military operations resulted in one civilian killed and three injured. The type of operation conducted was an air strike, under the authority of the 2001 AUMF. Structures adjacent to targeted buildings were mistakenly assessed to be empty, but civilians were inside. NGOs are credited for providing additional information regarding this incident that resulted in an assessment that civilian casualties were “more likely than not to have occurred.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (29) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (30) [ collapse]
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Image of the alleged members of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Militia killed in US airstrikes on the Syrian-Iraqi border on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
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Explosions and smoke caused by the US airstrikes near Al-Bukamal, east of Deir Ezzor, on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Eye)
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Explosions and smoke caused by the US airstrikes near Al-Bukamal, east of Deir Ezzor, on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Eye)
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Geolocation of the US airstrikes on the Syrian-Iraqi border on June 28, 2021 done by @obretix.
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Geolocation of the US airstrikes on the Syrian-Iraqi border on June 28, 2021 done by @obretix.
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Image of the alleged members of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Militia killed in US airstrikes on the Syrian-Iraqi border on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
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According to @SAMSyria0, "one of the American raids targeted a site (the yellow circle) near the site that was targeted in previous raids (the red circle), and the two sites are located on the Syrian-Iraqi border near the crossing Qaim."
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Images of the "American strikes on the free zone in Al-Bukamal, Syria (on the border with Iraq) targeting sites" (Image posted by @mas2oul1)
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Images of the "American strikes on the free zone in Al-Bukamal, Syria (on the border with Iraq) targeting sites" (Image posted by @mas2oul1)
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Images of the "American strikes on the free zone in Al-Bukamal, Syria (on the border with Iraq) targeting sites" (Image posted by @mas2oul1)
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The before image of a home that allegedly belonged to militias of the "Sayyid Al-Shuhada" as their headquarters and was destroyed by US airstrikes on the Syrian-Iraqi border. (Image posted by @YusufAd76532779)
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The after image of a home that allegedly belonged to militias of the "Sayyid Al-Shuhada" as their headquarters and was destroyed by US airstrikes on the Syrian-Iraqi border. (Image posted by @YusufAd76532779)
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Geolocation of one of the strikes using video footage with coordinates provided. (Images posted by @AuroraIntel)
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Geolocation of one of the strikes using video footage with coordinates provided. (Images posted by @AuroraIntel)
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Geolocation of one of the strikes using video footage with coordinates provided. (Images posted by @AuroraIntel)
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Geolocation of one of the strikes using video footage with coordinates provided. (Images posted by @AuroraIntel)
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Geolocation of one of the strikes using video footage with coordinates provided. (Images posted by @AuroraIntel)
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Geolocation of one of the strikes using video footage with coordinates provided. (Images posted by @AuroraIntel)
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Damage to the Iranian militia headquarters in Al-Hari caused by the US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
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Damage caused by the US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
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Damage caused by the US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
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Damage to a Civilian house caused by the US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
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Damage to the Afghan headquarters in Al-Hari caused by the US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
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Damage to the Iranian forces in Al-Hari crossing caused by the US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
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Area near the US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
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A crane belonging to the Revolutionary Guard heads to the sites of the raids to remove the rubble and retrieve the bodies following US airstrikes on the border areas of Al-Bukamal countryside on June 28, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates via Facebook)
US Forces Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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June 28, 2021, near Al Qaem, on the Iraq-Syria, via Airwars report. Strikes on this date targeted an operational and weapons storage facility utilized by militias that engage in unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. and Coalition personnel and facilities. An assessment found that at least one civilian was killed or wounded given the nature of the target buildings and observable effects of the deployed munitions.
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28 JUN 21 Al Qa’im, Dayr az Zawr Province, Syria, Air, 1 civilian killed
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Incident A occurred on June 28, 2021, in Al Qaem, Iraq in which U.S. military operations resulted in one civilian killed and three injured. The type of operation conducted was an air strike, under the authority of the 2001 AUMF. Structures adjacent to targeted buildings were mistakenly assessed to be empty, but civilians were inside. NGOs are credited for providing additional information regarding this incident that resulted in an assessment that civilian casualties were “more likely than not to have occurred.”
Original strike reports
"At President Biden's direction, U.S. military forces earlier this evening conducted defensive precision airstrikes against facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region. The targets were selected because these facilities are utilized by Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq. Specifically, the U.S. strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq, both of which lie close to the border between those countries. Several Iran-backed militia groups, including Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), used these facilities.
As demonstrated by this evening's strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect U.S. personnel. Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks. We are in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq for the sole purpose of assisting the Iraqi Security Forces in their efforts to defeat ISIS. The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation - but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message.
As a matter of international law, the United States acted pursuant to its right of self-defense. The strikes were both necessary to address the threat and appropriately limited in scope. As a matter of domestic law, the President took this action pursuant to his Article II authority to protect U.S. personnel in Iraq."