Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1962

Incident date

July 21, 2021

Location

خربة الجاموس, Kharbet Al Janous, Al Hassaka, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between one and three people, including a child, were killed and others were injured in Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) strikes on Kharbet Al Janous on July 21, 2021. Various sources report that a child was killed in the operation while other sources report that between one and three members of ISIS were killed.

The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that “Three persons were killed and many others were injured in an attack by US occupation warplanes in Jamous village, east Hasaka” and that the helicopters launched missiles at a house for several hours, killing and injuring all who were inside. Various other sources also referred to “three people” as being killed in the strikes.

Al Khabour posted on Facebook that three people, including a child, were killed “on the pretext of the presence of ISIS cells inside it”.

@modar28 tweeted that the SDF had raided a home and killed the child Osama Adnan Al-Hamid and “to hide the crime, they gave his coordinates to the American planes that the house contained ISIS cells, so the coalition aircraft destroyed the house in Karbet Al Jamous (Tal Hamis) village in Al Hassaka.” Haskaka News reported a similar story that ” the child “Osama Adnan Al-Hamid” was inside the house, and when he saw them, he fled outside the house, so [the Kurdish forces] shot him, killing him instantly.”

Jisr’s correspondent in Hasaka countryside reported that “two people were killed as a result of the attack, in addition to the death of a child who was close to the scene, after he was hit by a stray bullet”.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “the security operation targeted a house after the troops cordoned it off and calls the people inside the house to surrender, but the suspects resisted, as exchange of fire erupted between the two sides. Meanwhile, International Coalitions fighter jets intervened and bombarded the house, which caused the death of three suspects believed to be ISIS members who were inside the house.” Baladi News also quoted “sites close to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that the latter had raided a house containing three members of the “ISIS” organization.”

Tweets from @OIRSpox, the US Coalition spokesman, stated that “Today the Syrian Democratic Forces conducted a raid in the vicinity of Hasakah, Syria which resulted in the death of one Daesh terrorist. Coalition forces conducted two airstrikes on the building in support of our partner forces in contact and to ensure the terrorist threat was eliminated. The Coalition has the inherent right to defend our partner forces. No civilians were killed as a result of #SDF operations or  airstrikes. #Syria #Hasaka”

A day later, the @OIRSpox released a revised statement: ” Update: The SDF spokesman has provided an update to #SDF raid on a Daesh hideout on July 21, 2021. SDF reports that 2 Daesh gang members were KIA & 2 were arrested. The SDF requested air support after finding & removing a wounded child from the Daesh hideout. Believing that Daesh gang members were still hiding out in the house; an air strike was conducted. The child subsequently died from his wounds despite @Coalition medical efforts to save his life. The SDF is investigating the death of the child who was being held captive by Daesh during the attack. See below for more information or contact @Farhad_Shami SDF spokesman.”

However, the SDF statement recounts the events as “In order to support, coalition aircraft targeted the cell’s sites with two missiles eliminating two mercenaries while two other members were arrested. By searching the house, our special units discovered the body of a murdered child.” indicating that the child was killed in the strike.

Watan Radio’s correspondent indicated that “the SDF moved the bodies to an unknown location, without revealing the identity of their owners, while the US helicopters hovered for more than half an hour at the site of the operation after it ended.” Syria TV sources added that “a member of the “SDF” was injured during the clashes that took place, after which he was transferred to the mobile medical center of the SDF, and then he was transferred to Al-Hasakah Military Hospital.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 child)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Image of alleged US coalition strikes on a home in Kharbet Al Janous on July 21, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • #Khabour #Al-Hasakah Three people, including a child, were killed as international coalition aircraft targeted a house in the village of Khirbet al-Jamous in the Hasaka countryside on the pretext of the presence of ISIS cells inside it
  • Damage caused by alleged US coalition strikes on a home in Kharbet Al Janous on July 21, 2021. (Image posted by RT Arabic)
  • Damage caused by alleged US coalition strikes on a home in Kharbet Al Janous on July 21, 2021. (Image posted by RT Arabic)
  • Image of Osama Adnan Al-Hamid, who was killed in an alleged US Coalition-SDF raid on Karbet Al Jamous on July 21, 2021. (Image posted by @modar28)
  • Image of the damage caused by Coalition and SDF strikes on a home in Kharbet Al Janous on July 21, 2021. (Image posted by SDF)

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Syrian Democratic Forces

After a close monitoring and detecting process, the (SDF) counter-terrorism units dismantled, with a joint security operation on Wednesday, a dangerous terrorist cell affiliated with Daesh in Khirbet al-Jamous village, the eastern countryside of al-Hasakah.
The operation was supported by the coalition ISR and targeted a house that was used by the terrorists to hide. Among them are those responsible for committing assassinations against civilians and the security and military forces.
During the raid, one of our fighters was martyred due to clashes with the terrorists who opened fire on our forces in an attempt to escape. In order to support, coalition aircraft targeted the cell’s sites with two missiles eliminating two mercenaries while two other members were arrested.
By searching the house, our special units discovered the body of a murdered child, however; our forces will open an investigation into the detained mercenaries to find out why the child was there and the circumstances that led to his death.

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • Image of the damage caused by Coalition and SDF strikes on a home in Kharbet Al Janous on July 21, 2021. (Image posted by SDF)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

"Today the Syrian Democratic Forces conducted a raid in the vicinity of Hasakah, Syria which resulted in the death of one Daesh terrorist. Coalition forces conducted two airstrikes on the building in support of our partner forces in contact and to ensure the terrorist threat was eliminated. The Coalition has the inherent right to defend our partner forces. No civilians were killed as a result of #SDF operations or  airstrikes. #Syria #Hasaka"

A day later, the @OIRSpox released a revised statement: " Update: The SDF spokesman has provided an update to #SDF raid on a Daesh hideout on July 21, 2021. SDF reports that 2 Daesh gang members were KIA & 2 were arrested. The SDF requested air support after finding & removing a wounded child from the Daesh hideout. Believing that Daesh gang members were still hiding out in the house; an air strike was conducted. The child subsequently died from his wounds despite @Coalition medical efforts to save his life. The SDF is investigating the death of the child who was being held captive by Daesh during the attack. See below for more information or contact @Farhad_Shami SDF spokesman."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 child)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (26) [ collapse]