Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS350 TS005e

Incident date

October 26, 2016

Location

نعمان, Nu'man, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.46321, 37.43317 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Ten civilians were killed by alleged Turkish or Coalition airstrikes in the vicinity of Nu’man, according to local sources. The US-led alliance later denied conducing strikes in the vicinity on this date.

An initial report by ISIS-controlled propaganda unit Al A’amaq said that “10 civilians [were] killed in American raids on a group of fuel trucks in the village of Nu’man east of Akhtareen in the Aleppo countryside.”

A video with the Al A’amaq logo showed a large fire burning on a road, emitting deep black smoke. Shaam News Network cited Al A’amaq, but added context, reporting that rebels were approaching the village, which Al Jisr TV (in a separate report) said was still under the control of ISIS. A reporter for Al Jisr, which also cited A’aq’s casualty cllaims, said it wasn’t clear if the village was now in the hands of the terror group or other forces.

Turk Press, while reporting two “international coalition forces” strikes on Nu’man (without providing a date) also reported that the “Turkish army targeted 174 sites” belonging to ISIS and Kurdish rebels in “northern Syria” as part of Operation Euphrates Shield.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • News bulletin reporting on the alleged Turkish and/ or Coalition airstrikes on Nu'man, 26th October 2016. Images of burning trucks are from an al A’maq propaganda video, which is no longer available. (via Jisr TV)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Nu’man (نعمان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.46321, 37.43317. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Nu'man, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 25th-26th, the Coalition reported “Near Mar’a, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a fighting position.” For October 26th-27th, the Coalition reported no strikes in the area.

Danish Military
  • English
    /
    Original

In the past week, Denmark report carrying out 12 missions in missions in the Iraqi provinces of Salah Ad Din, At Ta’mim, Irbil, Dahuk and Nineweh and the Syrian governorates of Ar Raqqah, Aleppo, Al Hasakah and Dayr Az Zawr. They report dropping 10 precision bombs with attacks on Daesh buildings, vehicles, personnel, communications facilities and sites manufacturing IEDS

‘Mission Update nr. 19 Opdatering fra de danske styrker i internationale missioner. 27-10-2016 – kl. 13:54 Af Værnsfælles Forsvarskommando Operation Inherent Resolve – Irak og Tyrkiet Kampflybidraget Kampflybidraget deltager fortsat i kampene om Mosul. De danske F-16 kampfly har i den seneste uge gennemført 12 missioner. Der er blevet udført overvågning og efterretningsindhentning. Derudover er der udført angreb på bygninger og køretøjer med ISIL personel, personel i terræn, kommunikationsfaciliteter og faciliteter der fremstillede improviserede sprængladninger. Missionerne er foregået over de irakiske provinser Salah Ad Din, At Ta’mim , Erbil, Dahuk og Ninawa samt de syriske provinser Ar Raqqah, Halab, Al Hasakah og Dayr Az Zawr. Fra onsdag den 19. oktober klokken 1200 til onsdag den 26. oktober klokken 1200 er følgende gældende: Der er fløjet 12 missioner Der er anvendt 10 præcisionsbomber Der er totalt fløjet 202 missioner Der er totalt anvendt 298 præcisionsbomber Radarbidraget Bidraget udfører en vigtig rolle i koalitionens kamp om befrielsen af Mosul, idet bidraget forestår lufttankning af mange af de fly, der er på vej til området. Transportflybidraget Efter en længere travl periode, hvor der er transporteret 60 ton gods og 76 passagerer til Tyrkiet og internt i Irak, er det blevet tid til at vedligeholde flyet, mens de kommende missioner planlægges. Operation Ocean Shield – Seychellerne Challenger-bidraget til Operation Ocean Shield har siden den 19. oktober opereret fra Seychellerne med henblik på at gennemføre antipirateri-flyvning i Det Indiske Ocean ud for Somalia. Det er sidste gang, Danmark deltager i Operation Ocean Shield, da missionen slutter ved udgangen af 2016. Bidraget deltager til og med den 19. november. Resolute support – Afghanistan De to danske sygeplejersker på Role 2 hospitalet på basen ved Hamid Karzai International Airport i Kabul hjalp til da fem sårede ved Camp Morehead blev bragt til hospitalet. Standing Nato Maritime Group 1 Støtteskibet Absalon er returneret til Middelhavet efter at have afsluttet sin deltagelse i øvelse Joint Warrior ved Skotland. Absalon vil i den resterende del af oktober og størstedelen af november forventeligt være i Middelhavet. Det er fortsat planen, at skib og besætning skal returnere til Danmark primo december i år.’

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]