Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS569 RS1963

Incident date

March 11, 2017

Location

مسكنة, Maskanah, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.963172, 38.035655 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between eight and ten civilians died and up to 16 others were wounded in an airstrike on Maskana, according to local sources – though field reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of the Coalition, the Syrian regime or Russia. The Coalition later denied involvement.

Syria News said that “According to activists, the international coalition bombed the neighborhood Rihaniyya in Maskana, resulting in eight martyrs and the presence of dozens of wounded under the rubble, including women and children”.

Qasioun also pointed towards the Coalition, putting the death toll at ten.

In a video for Al Jisr TV, a reporter says that Russia and the regime were to blame, putting the death toll at eight with 16 more injured.

The Step News Agency and Smart blamed Russia, while RFS Media said that the regime was responsible.

Maskana Halab reported that “eight displaced people including women and children killed as a result of an air raid targeting a house in al Rihaniya in Maskana” – though they didn’t indentify the culprit.

According to Syria News Desk – which attributed the event to Russia and the regime – “a civilian source from Maskana who declined to be identified said that the strikes destroyed at least five houses and two stores on the east side of the highway district Rihaniyya, in addition to the burning of two houses and two cars.”

On April 30th 2017 the Coalition said it had classed the event as ‘not credible’: “March 12, 2017, near Maskana, Syria, via social media report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 10
  • (0–2 children0–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14–16
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: martyrs and wounded under the rubble following an air raid targeting Maskana in the eastern Aleppo countryside.
  • Title: the international coalition commits a massacre in maskana in the eastern Aleppo countryside and the Russians intensify their raids in the western countryside. (note: the reporter says it was Russia and regime)
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 Maskana, 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition has not publicly reported any strikes in Aleppo governorate between March 11th-13th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between March 1st – 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 10
  • (0–2 children0–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14–16
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]