Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS413 TS020

Incident date

December 12, 2016

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twelve civilians were killed and up to 30 injured at al Bab in what local sources claimed was a ‘Coalition’ strike, but which may have been a result of Turkish-ISIS fighting.

Al A’maq, ISIS’s media wing, reported “12 dead and 30 injured, most of them women and children, following violent Turkish shelling with more than 150 missiles and rockets that fell on al Bab since this morning.” A video (since blocked) also showed a number of children being treated for serious injuries.

Ara News said that “Turkish forces shelled the city of al Bab and Tadef northeast of Aleppo, northern Syria, on Monday, and the shelling targeted civilian neighbourhoods.” The Syrian Observatory also blamed Turkish and Euphrates Shield forces.

However both Halab News and VDC blamed the US-led Coalition – which they may still have viewed Turkey as being an active member of.

Al Bab al Hadath said both Turkish and Coalition planes attacked the city, killing 12 including two families and injuring 20 civilians. In total it named twelve victims:

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials requested additional information concerning the alleged event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mamdouh Noma
Adult male was killed with two of his girls killed
Daughter of Mamdouh Noma
Age unknown female killed
Second daughter of Mamdouh Noma
Age unknown female killed

Family members (1)

Al Boushi family
Age unknown 5 members were killed killed

The victims were named as:

Tarek Ahmad Zakkour al Alabi
15 years years old male killed
Omar Mohammad al Eido
16 years years old male killed
Mustapha Naqishbandi
Age unknown male killed
Alaa Hajjar
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al-Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • (6 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • Al Bab following reported Turkish or Coalition strikes on December 12th 2016. (via Bab al Hadath)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the victims following reported Turkish or Coalition strikes on Al Bab, December 12th 2016. (via Al Bab al Hadath)
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    One of the victims following reported Turkish or Coalition strikes on Al Bab, December 12th 2016. (via Al Bab al Hadath)
  • Al Bab following reported Turkish or Coalition strikes on December 12th 2016. (via Bab al Hadath)
  • Al Bab following reported Turkish or Coalition strikes on December 12th 2016. (via Bab al Hadath)
  • Al Bab following reported Turkish or Coalition strikes on December 12th 2016. (via Bab al Hadath)
  • Al Bab following reported Turkish or Coalition strikes on December 12th 2016. (via Bab al Hadath)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of child being treated in hospital following alleged Turkish and Coalition raids on al Bab, 12th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of a child victim in hospital following an alleged Turkish and Coalition raid on al Bab, 16th December 2016. )via Khaled Shaban)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of a child victims in hospital following an alleged Turkish and Coalition raid on al Bab, 16th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of a male civilian casualty killed following an alleged Turkish and Coalition raid on al Bab, 16th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured children being treated in hospital following alleged Turkish and Coalition raids on al Bab, 12th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of child being treated in hospital following alleged Turkish and Coalition raids on al Bab, 12th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • Photo of child being transported to hospital following alleged Turkish and Coalition raids on al Bab, 12th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • Injured children being treated in hospital following alleged Turkish and Coalition raids on al Bab, 12th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • Damaged building in the aftermath of the alleged raid on Al Bab, 12th November 2016. (via Halab today)
  • Damaged building in the aftermath of the alleged raid on Al Bab, 12th November 2016. (via Al Bab al Hadath facebook)
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 Al Bab, 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 December 11th-13th 2016 the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in the vicinity of al Bab.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • (6 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]