Airwars assessment
Two named children died in either Turkish or Coalition airstrikes on Tadef.
According to the Syrian Network “The children So’ad and Jonaid Fares Al Ali died after International Coalition warplanes missiles fired on Tadef town in Aleppo governorate eastern suburbs.”
However according to al Bab News, “Turkish planes launched three raids at dawn today killing two from the family of Faress al Ali who is from the rescue teams in al Bab. His daughter Souad al Ali, 15 years old and his son Juneid Al Ali, 9 years old and he [the father] was injured. Several buildings were totally destroyed.”
Al Bab 24 noted on the same day “a violent air and artillery bombardment from the Russian and Nusairi [sectarian term refering to Alawites] and Turkish [armies] in coordination targeting al Bab, Tadef, Baza’a and several village nearby al Bab hit with no casualties recorded thank God.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also blamed Turkey, but put the death count at three, reporting that “three from the same family including a woman with her grand daughter and son died in the town of Tadif near al-Bab city”.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (2)
- So’ad Fares Al Ali Child female killed
- Jonaid Fares Al Ali Child male killed
Summary
Sources (3) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.
Original strike reports
For January 24th-25th 2017, the Coalition reported: “Near Manbij, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed three fighting positions, and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit.”