Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS762

Incident date

May 2, 2017

Location

تل الجاير, Tall al-Jayer, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.033926, 41.0987592 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five named civilians died in an alleged ‘Coalition’ airstrike on al Dashisha market in Tal al Jayer town east of al Shadadi on the Syrian/Iraqi border, according to local sources.

JisiT V, which pointed towards the Coalition, reported that a commercial shop was hit.

No Coalition strike was publicly reported in the area that day despite its being the only party blamed. However unilateral US strikes in Syria are not declared – which is what this may have been.

The victims were named by Al Hassaka Youth Union, Soheb_alheskyi and Hasakah News – all blaming the Coalition.

The Coalition itself later denied conducting strikes in the geographic area that day which corresponded to claims of civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Majed Mohammad al Aswad
Age unknown killed
Hassan al Abdallah al Aswad
killed

The victims were named as:

Hussein al Mohammad al A’kla
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 men)
  • 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 belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Majed Mohammad al Aswad, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on market, May 2nd (via Hasakah Youth)
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
    market near Tal Al Jayer, Syria ()
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SFV889897
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • 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

The Coalition has not publicly reported any airstrikes in Hassakah governorate for May 1st-3rd.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 men)
  • 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 belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]