Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

RS1620

Incident date

November 18, 2016

Location

بلدة حريتان, Hraytan town, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 10 civilians were killed and “dozens” injured in an airstrike on Hraytan, Aleppo, according to a report by the Step News Agency.

Step said: “More than ten killed and dozens injured – most of them women and children – and survivors were pulled out from under the rubble following Russian raids on the town of Hraytan.”

All other sources also attributed responsibility for the event to Russian warplanes, besides Emaratalyoum News, who reported that Assad’s regime were active in Hraytan: 

“Dozens of civilians were killed and dozens of civilians were injured by the Syrian regime’s helicopters throwing dozens of explosive barrels at the besieged neighbourhoods of Aleppo…The fighters also used cluster bombs in other neighbourhoods in the northern suburbs of the city, targeting the cities of Hreitan, Oujan and Hayyan town with rockets.”

The source, @Anas_Alhage, reported that the Russian air force carried out five strikes “with surface rockets” on Hraytan on November 18th. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The moment of extraction of two children from the rubble in the city of Hreitan.

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”.

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3172

Incident date

March 5, 2018

Location

حرستا, Harasta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55869, 36.36515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and ten civilians were killed, and dozens were wounded (mostly women and children), in air and artillery strikes on Harasta, local media reported. Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the raids.

@MOAZALSHAMY described the incident as a massacre; they attributed blame to Russia.

The Step News Agency put the death toll at five; Syria Noor raised it to eight; and @MOAZALSHAMY and @Omyusifsyria tweeted that 10 had died.

Alongside the eight named victims, one unidentified adult male was also reported by the Violations Documentation Centre, who blamed the “Syrian government and affiliated militias”.

Hasan Najeb Abo Khalil, a member of the White Helmets, was among the fatalities.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hasan Najeb Abo Khalil
Adult male Member of the White Helmets killed
Bayan Sheleh
Child female killed
Hamed Afouf
Adult male killed
Naser Katkout
Adult male killed
Ahmad al-Ess
Adult male killed
Anas Badran
Adult male killed
Hesham Saker
Adult male killed
Khaldoun Ayaash
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 10
  • (1 child8 men1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The remains of a body following an alleged Russian airstrike on Harasta , Damascus, March 5th 2018 (via @MOAZALSHAMY)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 10
  • (1 child8 men1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS059

Incident date

October 19, 2015

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An airstrike in the vicinity of al Karnish Street in Al Bab – either Russian or Assad regime – killed up to ten people and caused a significant number of injuries, according to reports.

Al Bab Free Syria reported that “Ten martys died as a result of [regime airstrikes], among whom were members of the Al A’taba family and an elderly man named as Fahd Salim Al Hamad, whose family was recovered from under the rubble.”

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Ahmad Mustafa Ataba
Adult male killed
wife of Ahmad Mustafa Ataba
Adult female killed
son of Ahmad Mustafa Ataba
Child male killed

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud al-Nashef
Adult male killed
Fahd al-Saleem al-Hamad
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 10
  • (1 child1 woman3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Cleanup operation in Al Bab following a Russian or Assad regime strike October 19th 2015 (via Al Bab Free Syria)
  • Breaking - the pig Russian warplanes carry out air raids targeting Al Bab in eastern Aleppo leading to deaths and injuries.
  • #Aleppo martyrs and wounded following the targeting of Assad’s warplanes of al bab in eastern aleppo with vacuum missiles.
  • Breaking- warplanes bomb Al Kornish street in Al bab eastern Aleppo.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia has confirmed carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate on October 19th-20th 2015: “The Russian pilots carried out 55 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase engaging 60 targets in the Hama, Idlib, Lattakia, Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor provinces.” No further details were given.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 10
  • (1 child1 woman3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI811

Incident date

July 14, 2017

Location

Mosul, Nabi Jarjis, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.347788, 43.132997 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 1m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the deaths of ten civilians in an event in the Nabi Jaris neighbourhood of Old Mosul.

Their September 2017 civilian casualty report noted: “During a strike on an ISIS tunnel system, it was assessed that 10 civilians were unintentionally killed.”

Coordinates supplied by officials to Airwars – 36°20’52.0″N 43°07’58.8″E – placed the strike in a house on the river Tigris, in the residential Nabi Jarjis neighbourhood, Old City of Mosul. The location is close to the Tal Qali’at hill.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    10
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3246424142
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 2017

  • July 14, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: During a strike on an ISIS tunnel system, it was assessed that 10 civilians were unintentionally killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For July 13th-14th, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed 22 fighting positions and a tunnel, and damaged three fighting positions.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2662

Incident date

October 29, 2017

Location

الحميدية, Hamidiya, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3301466, 40.1456308 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between seven and ten civilians were killed – including two children, a woman and two men, and “dozens” more were injured, following airstrikes on Hamidiya. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Most blamed Russian warplanes, however one blamed the Syrian regime, and another reported that Russian and “other planes” bombed the vicinity.

The bombing was described by local media as resulting in a “massacre”, which allegedly occurred after midnight on the early hours of the 30th, however Airwars cannot be sure on the precise date of the strike.

DeirEzzor24 reported that “Russia and other planes committed a horrific massacre on Sunday in the city of Deir Ezzor, in which seven martyrs were killed and dozens were wounded.” Additionally, it reported that “the warplane launched two missile attacks on the neighbourhood” and that “the number of martyrs is expected to increase, because of the presence of civilians under the rubble, after the collapse of a building in the neighbourhood”.

According to sources, there was a severe shortage in medical supplies in the vicinity.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hussein Khalid Al-Dahim
Adult male Nicknamed (Saddam Al Dahim) killed
Yousef Al-Hadid
Age unknown male (Abu Mamdouh) killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • (2 children1 woman1–2 men)
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Saddam Khalid al-Dahim, killed in an airstrike on Hamidiya, 29th October 2017. (via @EuphratesPost)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Hamidiya, 29th October 2017. (via DeirEzzor24)
  • Hussein Khaled al Daheim, killed in an airstrike on Hamidiya, 29th October 2017. (via SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • (2 children1 woman1–2 men)
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1034

Incident date

July 23, 2016

Location

التبني, Al Tabbani, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.605833, 39.818611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Russian or Assad regime warplanes carried out airstrikes which struck and destroyed two family homes in Al Tabbani, killing ten civilians including five children, according to sources on the ground.  The local news source, Deirezzor 24, said that the raids occurred at 10am.

Syrian PC and Baladi News both blamed Russian warplanes for the raid. SMO News and Al Jazeera however, blamed the Assad regime for the shelling against Dier Ezzor.

Multiple sources confirmed that 10 people were killed, including six people from the Al-Jijan family and four from the Yasin Al-Jouma’a family. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights argued that the civilian casualties were mostly women and children.

Shaam News Network and other local sources reported that the seriousness of those who were injured could increase the death toll.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Yassin Al Jumaa
Age unknown male killed
Mohammed Al-Ahmad al Juma
Age unknown male killed

Family members (5)

Hashim Ali al-Jijan
Age unknown male killed
Mahmoud Ali al-Jijan
Age unknown male killed
Nazir Ali al-Jijan
Age unknown male killed
Rahik Ali al-Jajan
Age unknown killed
Wala’a Ali al-Jajan
Age unknown female killed

The victims were named as:

Noujoud al Karaya
Age unknown female killed
Muhannad al Sakha
Age unknown male killed
Aisha Turki al-A’ffara
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • A child who was killed in Al Tabbani by alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes. (via Omar_madaniah tweet).
  • Children who was killed in Al Tabbani by alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes. (via Omar_madaniah tweet).
  • A child who was killed in Al Tabbani by alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes. (via Omar_madaniah tweet).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child victim of the contested airstrikes in al-Tabbni (via Deirezzor24)
  • Photo of the children killed in the village following the contested airstrikes in al-Tabbani (via Deir Ezzor is being slaughtered silenty)

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between July 16th – 27th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI186

Incident date

February 10, 2016

Location

حي الكرامة, Mosul, Karama, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3435269, 43.2140027 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

 A number of sources reported that at least seven civilian forced labourers were killed in an alleged Coalition on a Daesh pickup truck. The incident took place in the main street area of Karama, a neighbourhood to the east of Mosul.

NRN News said that the civilians were being used by Daesh as forced labourers to demolish graves in the city. At the time of their deaths “, they were on their way back to prison before their release.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the main street in the neighbourhood of Karama (الكرامة) in the east of Mosul. The generic coordinates for this main street are: 36.3435269, 43.2140027.

  • The neighbourhood of Karama (الكرامة) in the east of Mosul, the main street marked in black

    Imagery:
    © 2019 Google

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For February 10th-11th 2016, the Coalition confirmed it had targeted a vehcle in the city, reporting that “Near Mosul, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint, seven ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, and an ISIL assembly area.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-048

Incident date

March 23, 2011

Location

الزنتان, Zintan, Jabal al Gharbi, Libya

Geolocation

31.930396, 12.250838 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between six and ten civilians were killed and 26 more injured in air and artillery shelling by Gaddafi forces on Zintan, according to Al Jazeera.

The news outlet reported: “Six civilians were killed in a bombardment carried out today by the Gaddafi Brigades on the city of Zintan, and the bombing cut off electricity and communications completely from the city, while a British military commander announced the destruction of the Libyan air force.

The spokesman of the National Transitional Council in Libya, Abdel-Hafiz Ghouta, told a news conference in Benghazi that Gaddafi’s battalions continued to bombard the city of Zintan, which was controlled by the rebels and 90 kilometers southwest of the capital Tripoli, pointing out that the indiscriminate shelling of the city yesterday killed 10 people and wounded 26 others.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 10
  • Civilians reported injured
    26
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Zintan (الزنتان), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.930396, 12.250838. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Gaddafi Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Gaddafi Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 10
  • Civilians reported injured
    26
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]