Incident Codes

CS405 TS018

Location

البزاعة, Al Baza'a, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.3829071, 37.56666
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S355a)

Multiple sources blamed the US-led Coalition for the deaths of a woman and her seven children at al Baza’a, north east of al Bab. However the Coalition later assessed the claims as ‘Not credible.’ Given Turkey’sd own campaign at the time at Al-Bab, its aircraft may therefore have been responsible.

According to Step News “Coalition planes launch several raids on al Baza’a last night killing eight people including women and children.” The Syrian Observatory did not identify the perpetrators however, noting that “a woman with seven of her children was killed by massacre by warplanes targeted Bazaa village northeast of al-Bab city.

Syria News Desk reported the following: “A civilian source from al Bab, on condition of anonymity, told Syria news desk , that the planes targeted the old police station and nearby homes on the southern outskirts of town, confirming the presence of several dangerous situations among the injured, who were transferred to hospitals in Al Bab, making it likely that number of deaths will rise during coming hours due to poor medical facilities in the region.

“The source added that the raids resulted in the destruction of the police station building and two houses completely and burning a house and three civilian cars, in addition to considerable material damage to a number of shops and their contents.”

Euphrates Post – which also blamed the Coalition – named the dead.

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event was presently assessed as ‘Not credible.’

Victims

Family members (7)

Adult female Wife of Abboud Abbas killed
Mohammed Aboud Al Abbas
Child male killed
Ibrahim Abboud Al Abbas
Child male killed
Hassan Abboud Al Abbas
Child male killed
Fatima Abboud Al Abbas
Child female killed
Walaa Abboud Al Abbas
Child female killed
Hilal Aboud Al-Abbas.
Child male killed

Key Information

Country
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
8
3–7 Children, 1 Woman
Civilians reported injured
22

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Baza’a (البزاعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.3829071, 37.56666. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
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 Al Baza'a, Syria
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For December 5th-6th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Manbij, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.”
French Military Strike Report
In the last week France has conducted 10 strikes: Eight in Iraq (near Mosul) and two in Syria. Eleven ISIL targets were destroyed.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2017-08-04
Original Source
After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.
Turkish Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Turkish Military
Turkish Military position on incident
Not yet assessed