Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS333 TS005a

Incident date

October 8, 2016

Location

دويبق, Dabiq, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.5643925, 37.2749805 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twelve to 14 civilians, including up to seven children and five women, were killed in air raids on the village of Dabiq in Aleppo governorate, according to local reports. It was alleged that both the Coalition and Turkey were responsible.

The Syrian Network reported “at least 8 civilians died in International Coalition warplanes missiles fired on Al Dabiq village in Aleppo governorate.” Halab Today TV, citing activists, reported that 12 civilians had been killed and others injured “following the targeting by international coalition planes.”

Sky News Arabia also reported a figure of “at least” 10 civilians, which it said were from “the same family,” and it blamed the bombardment on the international coalition – as did Hara FM which added that 23 people were injured. It described raids in residential areas that destroyed five houses, which killed “eight civilians from one family, most of them children and two from a second family” and said eight people had been transferred to Al Bab due to injuries, most of them critical.

However, the Syrian Observatory assigned blame to Turkey and put the death toll at 9 members from the same family. It said the victims were “an elderly man, 3 citizen women and 5 children” and added that others were injured and the death toll was expected to rise as some were in a “critical situation.”

In their May 2020 civilian casualty report, 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.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mahmoud Fara
Age unknown male killed
Mahmoud Fara's wife
Age unknown female killed

Family members (6)

Sheikho Imam's wife
Age unknown female killed
Sheikho Imam's wife
Age unknown female killed
Sheikho Imam' child 1
Child killed
Sheikho Imam' child 2
Child killed
Sheikho Imam' child 3
Child killed
Sheikho Imam' child 4
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 14
  • (4–7 children4–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    23
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dabiq (دويبق), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.5643925, 37.2749805. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
    37SCA456479
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2020
  • Oct. 8, 2016, in Dabiq, 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. 3068/CS333 37SCA456479

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 7th-8th 2016 the Coalition reported strikes in Aleppo governorate: “Near Mar’a, one strike damaged an ISIL VBIED facility. Near Washiyah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building and a command and control node.”

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 14
  • (4–7 children4–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    23
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]