Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

RS1100

Incident date

August 5, 2016

Location

حي طريق الباب, Tareeq al-Bab (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.207438, 37.1990204 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and seven civilians died in an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on Tareeq Al Bab, according to sources on the ground.

Radio Alkul gave the lowest death count of two with three more wounded – from the same family, blaming Russia.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that four died, including a child and a woman, and blamed the regime – though in a separate post it published an image of a man and said that Russia was responsible for his death.

According to Alaraby, six people died after a barrel bomb was dropped from a regime helicopter.

Egypt Today said that as many as seven were killed.

There are multiple reports that “dozens” were injured, with no specific numbers.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A man trapped under the rubble in Tareeq al Bab. 5th August 2016. (via SN4HR)
  • An image showing the extent of the destruction in Tareeq al Bab. (via, RadioAMCFM)
  • White Helmets sift through the rubble in the aftermath of the incident. (via, ShahabPress)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 1st – 10th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI016

Incident date

November 12, 2014

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Jawsag, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3280482, 43.1503701 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Iraqi news agency NINA and others reported that seven civilians – including children – died in “international coalition raids” in the vicinity of both Denden and Jawsaq, south of Mosul city.

An additional strike by the Iraq military at nearby Mithaq in eastern Mosul reportedly killed an additional 15 civilians.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhoods of Jawsaq (الجوسق) and Denden (or Dandan) in Mosul. The coordinates for the midpoint of Jawsaq (الجوسق) are: 36.3280482, 43.1503701. The coordinates for the midpoint of Denden (or Dandan) are: 36.335038, 43.143896

  • Neighbourhoods of Jawsag (الجوسق) and Denden (or Dandan) in Mosul

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 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
Official source

One confirmed coalition strike between November 12th-14th 2014 was reported “east of Mosul, Iraq, destroyed one small ISIL unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS187

Incident date

March 2, 2016

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Airstrikes in the Al Hosh and al Fouroussiya areas of Raqqah killed at least three civilians including a child according to reports – although it was unclear whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Coalition. Ten Daesh fighters were also said to have been killed.

The Syrian Observatory reported in English that “Rose to 3 the number of civilians who were killed by aerial bombardment by the coalition warplanes targeted the city of al-Raqqa.” However in its Arabic report the group stated it “did not know whether it was the Russians or an international coalition.” Qasioun also said “local sources from within the city confirmed that the nature of the raids suggest that the fighters belonged to the international airline alliance.” All other sources blamed Russia.

Syria News for example reported that “Russian jets launched five raids, two of them with cluster bombs on the Al I’laf building and the area of al Fouroussiya club [riding club] and near the water company south and west of the city.” According to their source 7 civilians died including two children, with 35 others injured.

In their February 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1–2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    35
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV008784
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020

  • March 2, 2016, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2923/CS187 37SEV008784

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 1st-2nd 2016 the Coalition reported that “Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL security headquarters.”

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1–2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    35
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1547

Incident date

November 8, 2016

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven named civilians were killed and dozens more were wounded, including a child, by alleged Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes on Douma City in Eastern Ghouta.

According to sources the city was one of many subjected to “heavy artillery shelling” and “aerial bombardment” that week. @syriahadath, specified the use of cluster bombs.

One of those killed was a senior commander of The Army of Islam and according to Jaish al-Islam, was the operations officer of the second brigade.

Media activist Alaeddin Kurdi told ARA News that “for the fourth day in a row, the Syrian warplanes launched fierce and intensive raids targeting civilians and infrastructure, and the warplanes are still flying in the eastern Ghouta area.”

Local sources were conflicted over who was responsible for the airstrikes. While the Local Coordination Committee of Syria identified Russian warplanes as responsible for the airstrikes, other sources, including Syrian Network for Human Rights, blamed Syrian regime planes for the casualties. However, the majority of sources did not identify a culprit and instead only identified the planes as belonging to an air force.

According to the Local Coordination Committee of Syria, the airstrikes struck the neighbourhoods, the markets, and mosques of Eastern Ghouta with long-range thermobaric missiles.

A video posted by Doum showed the shell of the missiles that crashed through multiple buildings, which were significantly larger than the average human height. In addition, graphic images of those killed were included in the video, including two young men that were covered in blood. Another video posted by the Syrian Civil Defence showed an ambulance being loaded with a child who had been injured by strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali al-Sabbagh
Age unknown named by LCCSY and All4Syria killed
Anadan al-Wazir
Age unknown named by LCCSY and All4Syria killed
Muhammad Ali Kassab
Age unknown male named by LCCSY and All4Syria killed
Ahmad Sedawi
Age unknown male named by LCCSY and All4Syria killed
Majed Haroun
Age unknown named by LCCSY and All4Syria killed
Bashir Qashua
Age unknown male named by LCCSY and All4Syria killed
Qutaiba Khaiti
Age unknown named by LCCSY and All4Syria killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Footage showing the aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Douma, 8th November 2016. The bodies of deceased civilians can be seen in the later part of the video. (via Doum)
  • Injured civilians rescued by members of the White Helmets in the aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Douma, 8th November 2016. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • Injured civilians rescued by members of the White Helmets in the aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Douma, 8th November 2016. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • Remnants of a missile fired on Douma, 8th November 2016. (via @media_centerfr)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of a civilian killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Douma, 8th November 2016. (via @SCDrifdimashq)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones”.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1957

Incident date

March 9, 2017

Location

حماده عمر, Hamada Omar, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.025374, 37.423313 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians were killed, including a child and three women, and 13 were injured, following an alleged Russian airstrike which struck a camp for displaced peoples in the vicinity of Hamada Omar village, local media reported. Both sources blamed Russian warplanes for the alleged raid.

According to Smart, the vicinity was under the control of ISIS at the time of the airstrike.

Those wounded were critical according to Smart News.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (1 child3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    13
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (1 child3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    13
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI582

Incident date

March 26, 2017

Location

الرفاعي, Mosul, Rifai, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3558497, 43.0937862 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local residents and press sources said that seven civilians were killed and eight injured in unspecified airstrikes or mortar shelling by Iraqi forces on Rifai neighbourhood in the west of Mosul.

While Yaqein spoke of airstrikes, Iraqi Spring Media Center said the victims were caused by mortar shelling of Iraqi forces. Iraq News Center also blamed the Iraqi government.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Rifai, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 28, 2017

  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike. (1065)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 26th-27th it stated: “Near Mosul, seven strikes, engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed six tunnels, three fighting positions, three vehicles, two mortar systems, a weapons storage facility, a front-end loader, a supply cache, and a heavy machine gun; damaged 17 supply routes; and suppressed six ISIS mortar teams and three ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS649

Incident date

February 21, 2016

Location

عنجارة, Anjara, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2203271, 36.952976 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians including three children and one woman died and 50 more were injured in alleged Russian airstrikes with cluster bombs on Anjara, according to local sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported: “Six citizens (including 2 citizen women and two children) were killed and injured when warplanes believed to be Russian bombed areas in Anjarah town in the western countryside of Aleppo, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation.“

Syria Mirror reported that Russia dropped cluster bombs on the town, killing seven civilians and wounding around 50 more, including women and children. JisrTV also blamed Russia and gave the same death toll as Syria Mirror.

Four civilians were named by the Violations Documentation Center in addition to one unidentified female child.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Usama Shihade
Adult male killed
Fatme Ahmad al-Sheikh
Adult male killed
Hanan Mahmoud Hisian
Adult male killed
Barakat Khaled Barakat
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (3 children1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–50
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (3 children1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–50
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS777

Incident date

April 28, 2016

Location

باب الحديد, Bab al Hadeed (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2019233, 37.1680892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven people were reported killed in alleged Russian or regime raids on Bab Al-Hadeed, Aleppo.

Syria News blamed Russia for “warplane shelling in various areas in Aleppo including Bab Al-Hadeed.” Halab News equally blamed Russia in a YouTube video covering the first moments of shelling. However, Islam Memo said “the regime launched 8 warplane raids in Bab Al Hadeed”.

Halab Today also blamed the regime in a tweet, saying: “Activists warn people not to get close to the cluster bombs which were thrown by regime warplane in Bab Al Hadeed.”

Other sources did not state who was responsible for the raids.

LCCSY reported that 7 people were killed in warplane shelling on Bab Al-Hadeed. The same was reported by Alamawi and Al Jazeera in tweets, but none attributed responsibility.

In a video by AMC the White Helmets can be seen recovering a body from under the rubble in Bab Al Hadeed. Aba_272 also tweeted pictures of a rescue operation. Lastly, a video posted on Facebook by Halab Alshuhada showes the “destruction of the shelling on Bab Al-Hadeed, Albasha street.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Footages showing the airstrikes in Bab al Haded and the immediate aftermath (via HNN)
  • Civilians in the rubble following the airstrikes in Bab al-Hadeed (via LCCSY)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Bab al-Hadeed (via LCCSY)
  • Civil defense rescues a man from under the rubble in Bab Al-Hadeed after the air strikes (via Aba_272 tweet)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civil defense retrieve a body from the rubble after aerial bombardment on Bab Al-Hadeed (via AMC Youtube)
  • Footages of warplanes shelling Bab Al-Hadeed, Aleppo (via SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Kremlin has issued no public accounts of airstrikes in Syria from April 1st – 30th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]