Incident Code

CS1993

Location

صلهام, Salham, Al Hassakah, Syria

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

A young man was killed and others were injured during an alleged Syrian Democratic Forces and US airdrop operation in the village of Salham on June 11, 2023. Sources were conflicted as to whether the young man was a member of ISIS or a civilian.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the Syrian-regime news organization, reported that one civilian was killed and others were injured during a US forces airdrop operation at dawn in the village of Salham. The source added that US forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) blocked off the area and opened fire, which led to the death of a civilian and injury of others.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, one person accused of being a member of ISIS was killed after resisting and clashing with the SDF and Coalition forces, while one other person was arrested. A tweet from @DeirEzzore identified a young man named Faraj Mutlaq Al-Nazal Al-Suhaili as the one who was killed, adding that he worked as a smuggler between Syria and Iraq. Euphrates Post added that Faraj was a resident of the town of Tal Hamis.

Euphrates Post stated that several of the houses in the village of Salham were searched during the operation.

Athr Press pointed out that the operation occurred the morning of the same day that an American helicopter crashed in northeastern Syria, resulting in the injury of 22 soldiers.

In a civilian casualty assessment released on November 30th 2023, the Coalition classed this event as ‘non credible’, claiming that “Based on a thorough review of all available information, the allegation was found not credible because the actions were not attributable to U.S. or Coalition Forces.”

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Civilians reported killed
0–1
0–1 Men
Civilians reported injured
2

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Not yet assessed
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2023-11-30
Original Source
June 10, 2023, near Selham, Syria, via Shammar Tribe. Based on a thorough review of all available information, the allegation was found not credible because the actions were not attributable to U.S. or Coalition Forces. 3337 / CS1993 / 37SGV0048882717.

Media From Sources (1)