Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS454

Incident date

January 22, 2017

Location

النيرب, Al Nayrab, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.86955, 36.71867 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and five civilians including two children and one woman died and up to 20 others were injured in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Nayrab, according to local sources. The Coalition later denied involvement.

The Syrian Network said “At least 3 civilians (two children and a woman) died in international Coalition warplanes missiles fired south of Al Nayrab town in Idlib.” Idlib Media Center also said the raids were thought to have been carried out by the Coalition, reporting the death of two children and the injuring of 20 additional civilians.

The United Media Office of al Nayrab later reported that the death toll had risen to five, adding that they were displaced people. It named vicims as Battoual al Ali and Fatima al Ali. And Syria Post said that five civilians died and six were injured when “unidentified planes targeted a building inhabited by displaced people near al Nayrab”.

According to Shaam News, “a huge explosion south of al Nayrab in the northern Idlib countryside left two children dead and dozens of DIPs injured and there are a number missing. The reason for the explosion is not yet known.” A subsequent report provided more detail and attributed the incident to the Coalition: “Activists said the explosion was caused by a Coalition drone targeting a head quarters for Fatah al Sham, south of the town of Nairab, and the nearby civilian areas. The rockets were unique in the strength of their explosiveness and caused devastation 2 km around the area.

“According to the source the explosion caused the martyrdom of three civilians, two children and a woman displaced from rural Aleppo, and wounding more than 15 others, mostly children, who were living in the poultry farms and residential buildings near the targeted site”.

Orient News, which also blamed the Coalition, reported: “Local sources reported that the bombing targeted a former poultry farm now inhabited by a population of displaced people near the town.” It added that the Coalition had earlier “targeted the headquarters of the Al Aqsa army in al Karmid for camp area”.

On March 4th the Coalition confirmed that it was carrying out an assessment into the al Nayrab allegations. On April 30th it concluded: “Jan. 22, 2017, near Nayrab, Syria, via social media report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was 30 km away.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Battoual al Ali
Child female injured
Fatima al Ali
Child female injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • One of the children injured in the air strike (via Idlib Media Centre)
  • One of the children killed in the air strike (via The United Media Office of al Nayrab )
  • One of the children injured in the air strike (via The United Media Office of al Nayrab )
  • One of the children injured in the air strike (via The United Media Office of al Nayrab )
  • Aftermath of the airstrike Media Office of al Nayrab )
  • Aftermath of the airstrike Media Office of al Nayrab )
  • Aftermath of the airstrike Media Office of al Nayrab )
  • Batoul and Fatima Al-Ali were injured in the air strike (via The United Media Office of al Nayrab)
  • Batoul and Fatima Al-Ali were injured in the air strike (via The United Media Office of al Nayrab)
  • Batoul and Fatima Al-Ali were injured in the air strike (via The United Media Office of al Nayrab)
  • Children injured in the air strike (via Shehab news agency )
  • Children injured in the air strike (via Shehab news agency )
  • Children injured in the air strike (via Shehab news agency )
  • Children injured in the air strike (via Shehab news agency )
  • Children injured in the air strike (via Shehab news agency )
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 Nayrab, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 30, 2017
  • No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was 30 km away

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition has not publicly reported any strikes in Idlib governorate between 21st and 22nd January. However, unilateral US strikes against Fatah al Sham (al Nusra) targets are no longer reported by CJTFOIR.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (26) [ collapse]