Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS210

Incident date

May 7, 2016

Location

احتيملات, Ahtemlat, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.56556, 37.25067 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians including up to 5 children died in a reported night time Coalition strike at Ahtemlat in Aleppo governorate. Graphic images showed the bodies of at least two infants being recovered.

According to the Syrian Observatory, “SOHR activists were informed that no less than 4 IS including a commander were killed by aerial bombardment by the U.S led coalition warplanes during the last 24 hours around the strategic town of Dabiq, the aerial bombardment also killed 6 civilians including children. No less than 12 IS were killed by aerial bombardment targeted Dalha and Hor areas in the northern countryside near the Turkish borders.”

In its July 2017 monthly report, the Coalition classed the event as non credible on grounds of available evidence of civilian harm: “May 7, 2016, near Ahtemlat, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

Given the well documented nature of this event – and the existence of a video showing casualties – Airwars continues to assess this event as likely.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (5 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Al A’maq agency (ISIS propaganda): 1 person and 5 children killed following US strikes on the village of Ahteimlat in the northern Aleppo countryside (via Ibrahim al masry)
  • Translation: The result of US raids on the town of Ahteimlat in the northern Aleppo countryside: one person killed and 5 others injured, all muslims, by US raids on Ahteimlat in the northern Aleppo countryside (via AlWalaa’ and al Bara’a)
  • Translation: 5 children and one woman killed and livestock destroyed following coalition bombing of the town of Ahteimlat (via Syria-Rebels).
  • Translation: 5 civilians killed including children in coalition bombing on the village of Ahteimlat which is under Daesh control.
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Ahtemlat, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition reports for May 6th-7th 2016 that “Near Mar’a [Aleppo governorate], three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL command and control node, and ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (5 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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

Sources (14) [ collapse]