Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS489 TS079

Incident date

February 13, 2017

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, New Street, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.3705393, 37.5151107

Airwars assessment

At least 15 civilians from the same family died in either Turkish or Coalition airstrikes, as the battle to seize Al Bab from ISIL continued. Up to nine other non-combatants also died.

Al Jazeera initially placed the death toll at 16 and then 24, though said the fatalities resulted from “shelling and battles in the city.” The Syrian Network blamed the Coalition for the deaths of “17 civilians, including 3 children and 5 women”, while LCCSY reported “21 martyrs in Aleppo killed in Turkish air and artillery bombardment on al Bab.”

According to Shaam News “Al A’amaq agency [ISIL] reported that Turkish aircraft and aircraft of the international coalition launched more than 20 air raid on the city’s neighborhoods, as has been targeting residential neighborhoods with more than 250 artillery shells and grenades.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (12)

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male son of Ahmad Abdo Kazkaz killed
Age unknown male son of Mohammad Ali Kazkaz killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown female killed
Age unknown female killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown female killed

Family members (3)

Age unknown female killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 24
  • (3 children5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 17 were killed and others wounded due to warplane raid targeted the new street in Al-Bab.
  • One of the victims (via Al Bab 24)
  • One of the victims (via Al Bab 24)
  • One of the victims (via Al Bab 24)
  • One of the victims (via Al Bab 24)
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 (Aleppo), Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3049224538
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 2017
  • 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

US-led Coalition

For February 12th-13th 2017 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
    17 – 24
  • (3 children5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]