Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Two local sources reported that a civilian was killed in a Coalition airstrike on Al Mayadeen town.
There was initially some uncertainty about the date of the event: A Natek reported it on May 8th, while according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights – which published its report on May 8th – the named victim died from an injury he had sustained in a strike “a few days ago”.
In September 2019 the Coalition accepted responsibility for this incident. Its monthly civilian casualty report noted: “May 6, 2017, in Al Mayadin, Syria, via Airwars report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally killed as a result of the strike.”
In May 2020, the Pentagon declared that this had been a US action.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (4) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
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Table from May 2020 Pentagon report to Congress, conceding additional US civilian harm events in Iraq and Syria during 2017.
Geolocation notes
Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated this incident to the nearest city at 35.016667, 40.444167
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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May 6, 2017, in Al Mayadin, Syria, via Airwars report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally killed as a result of the strike.
Original strike reports
For May 6th-7th the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, 10 strikes destroyed eight ISIS oil tankers, four ISIS well heads, two Unmanned Aerial System facilities and an ISIS barge.”
For May 7th-8th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed four ISIS well heads, a unmanned aerial system storage building and a vehicle.”
For May 8th-9th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed four ISIS oil tankers and an ISIS well head.“
‘Tuesday 9 May – A Reaper intervened during a public execution staged by Daesh in Abu Kamal, Syria, killing a Daesh guard and dispersing the crowd gathered to witness the atrocity… The RAF is continuing to support Iraqi forces in their effort to liberate western Mosul. While the operating environment in the city is very challenging, particularly given the closely-packed buildings, very narrow streets, and the density of the urban population, our aircrew have continued to deliver precision strikes in close support of Iraqi troops on the ground. Daesh’s current tactics, including the illegal use of civilians as human shields, and fighting from sites such as schools, hospitals, religious sites and civilian neighbourhoods, increases the risk to innocent life. While no military operations come without risk, particularly in dense urban environments and against such inhuman Daesh tactics, the RAF continues to take all steps necessary to minimise civilian casualties. An RAF Reaper remotely piloted aircraft observed a group of Daesh fighters in Abu Kamal, eastern Syria, mustering a large crowd of civilians in one of the town’s main streets on Tuesday 9 May. When a van then unloaded two shackled prisoners in front of the crowd, it became clear that Daesh were organising a public execution. Given the large number of civilians present, the Reaper’s crew could not target directly the Daesh fighters about to carry out the murders. However, two armed extremists were stationed as sentries on the roof of a building overlooking the scene. A Hellfire missile was fired immediately, and scored a direct hit which not only killed one of the sentries but also brought the execution to an immediate halt, as the Daesh fighters fled the scene, and the crowd of civilians dispersed.’