Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS440 RS1825

Incident date

January 12, 2017

Location

جبل الاربعين, Al Arbaeen Mountains, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.805363, 36.618816 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as 20 civilians were killed, and others were wounded, according to reports, following an alleged Russian and or Coalition airstrike on a militant-occupied building in the Al-Arba’een Mountains.

Shaam News reported that seven civilians died including “four children and three women in addition in addition to others wounded.”

Step News blamed the US-led Coalition, reporting that “International Coalition aircraft launched several air strikes this afternoon targeting a residential building belonging to Turkestan fighters in Al-Arba’een Mountain area in the outskirts of Ariha in western Idlib.”

This led to the complete collapse of the building, allegedly killing more than ten people in an initial toll which included women and children from Turkestan families who were in the building.

Members of the civil defense team were allegedly digging civilians out of the rubble hours after the incident.

Similarly, AlAmawi news said that “Coalition planes launched several raids at noon today targeting al Turkistan HQ in al Araba’een mountain”.

In addition, Syrian media activist Omar madaniah said that the Coalition “bombed a building in al Arba’een mountain housing Turkistani families,” leaving “more than 20 martyrs under the rubble”.

Almasdar reported that Russian jets struck “a six-story building inhabited by Turkestan militants who used it as HQ – which also housed their families leading to the total collapse of the building.”

According to sources the extent of the damage to residential homes was great, and many civilians remained trapped under the rubble for hours.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 20
  • (4 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A victim in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Coalition airstrikes on Al-Arba'een Mountain, 12th January 2017. (via @MousaAlomar)
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
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For January 11th-13th the Coalition did not publicly note any strikes in Idlib governorate.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 20
  • (4 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (18) [ collapse]