Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

R4516

Incident date

May 30, 2023

Location

بزابور, Bzabor, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A 15 year old boy was injured by alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Bzabor in Idlib on May 30, 2023.

Local sources from the countryside of Idlib governorate told Zaman Al Wasl that 15-year-old Muhammad Malik Ahmed Haj Musa was wounded by Russian airstrikes on Bzabor village. The Syrian Civil Defense (@SyriaCivilDefe) tweeted that a boy was injured by shrapnel from an airstrike which struck a home.

A tweet from @idleb_online referred to the site of the airstrike as belonging to a terrorist without providing any information on casualties while @​​ShaamNetwork tweets that the location is a “civilian house and agricultural land.”

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the victim was driving his motorbike by the home at the time of the airstrikes, and he was taken to the hospital for treatment for his injuries. A video posted by @anasanas84 allegedly taken by a Russian reconnaissance plane shows the motorcycle driving by a house at the exact time that an airstrike hit the building.

Abdul Karim, a volunteer with the White Helmets, described the home that was destroyed: “The family members who live in this house survived while they were working to harvest the mahaleb crop on their nearby farm, but they lost their memories of the haven that used to bring them together after the earthquake, and the walls that withstood that day, today they did not withstand the missiles, and the raids of the Russian warplanes destroyed it.”

Aljazeera (@ajmubasher) quoted the Syrian opposition air traffic tracking observatory as reporting that a Russian plane took off Tuesday at noon from Hmeimim base in Lattakia governorate and bombed the village of Bzabour in the Idlib countryside. North Press Agency identified high-explosive missiles as being used in the airstrikes. All other sources also attributed the airstrikes to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

  • Muhammad Malik Ahmed Haj Musa 15 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Strike target
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]

  • "Civilians were wounded by Russian air strikes on the village of Bzabour in Idlib countryside."
  • A house was not affected by the earthquake, but Russian warplanes destroyed it today, Tuesday, May 30, with an air strike on the village of Bzabour, south of Idlib, so that the war writes a new line in the narrative of oppressing the Syrians.
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A victim of alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A Russian reconnaissance plane documents the moment of the Russian raids today on the vicinity of the village of Bazabur in the southern countryside of Idlib At the time of the raid, a motorcycle was also shown, with a young man on board, who was slightly injured Also, mahaleb fruits appear on the roof of the targeted house
  • #Urgent The moment the air raids were carried out by the Russian occupation on the outskirts of the town of Bazabour, south of Idlib, and the planes are still in the air. 📌 Civilian injury as a preliminary outcome as a result of the raids, be careful
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @idleb_online)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @idleb_online)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @​​ShaamNetwork)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @​​ShaamNetwork)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @​​ShaamNetwork)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @​​ShaamNetwork)
  • A civilian was wounded in the initial outcome of the Russian raids on the town of Bazabour, south of Idlib
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @ajmubasher)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @ajmubasher)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @ajmubasher)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @ajmubasher)
  • A victim of alleged Russian airstrikes on Bzabor on May 30, 2023. (Image posted by @sawarqi47568)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Strike target
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM023-N

Incident date

July 14, 2011

Location

بين زنجبار‎ و شقرة, Between Zinjibar and Shaqra, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.2476458, 45.530709 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An airstrike on a car targeted Fahd al Qusaa, also known as Quso, an al Qaeda leader and suspect in the USS Cole bombing. It was a US attack, according to the New York Times quoting an AQAP representative. He claimed that Qusaa had left the car minutes earlier and was unharmed.

According to the Long War Journal, Qusaa was being sheltered by the Awlaki tribe, and was allegedly involved in the failed AQAP airline bombing attack over Detroit on Christmas Day, 2009. Yemeni journalist Nasser Arrabyee claimed that the car was travelling between Shakra and Zinjibar in Abyan Province.

This incident was identified by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and has been included in Airwars’ database even though no casualties are mentioned.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck between the village of Shaqra (شقرة) and the city of Zinjibar (زنجبار‎ ). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for this middle point are: 13.2476458, 45.530709.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Shoqra شُقرة","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"coordinates":[45.698859857198165,13.35732480761884],"type":"Point"}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Zinjibar زنجبار","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"coordinates":[45.38832158502853,13.13520023596864],"type":"Point"}}]}

US Forces Assessment:

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

Yemeni Air Force Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Yemeni Air Force
  • Yemeni Air Force position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM393

Incident date

July 12, 2023

Location

Weelmarow Village, Lower Juba, Somalia

Airwars assessment

Kenyans.co.ke reported that a joint operation by US Commandos, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Security Forces in Jubaland resulted in the death of 17 al-Shabaab militants in Weelmarow Village in Lower Juba. The source added that the majority of the al-Shabaab militants were Kenyan and Ethiopian natives.

No other sources reported on the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    17

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    17

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4541

Incident date

August 18, 2023

Location

ديرسنبل, , Deir Sinbul, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one woman suffered a psychological injury following alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling of the village of Deir Sinbul on August 18, 2023.

The Syrian Civil Defense (@SyriaCivilDefe) reported that a woman suffered a nervous breakdown after artillery shelling reportedly carried out by the Syrian regime and Russian forces struck the village of Deir Sinbul. The civil defense volunteers inspected the locations struck by shelling to ensure no other civilians were injured and took the injured woman to the hospital. @Almohrar1also reported that a woman suffered from a psychological injury.

According to @Najdat567, the Syrian regime forces stations at the checkpoints surrounding the village shelled Deir Sunbul. However, @Almohrar1 attributed the shelling to Russian forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Syrian regime/Russian shelling of Deir Sinbul on August 18, 2023. (Image posted by @Najdat567)
  • Damage caused by alleged Syrian regime/Russian shelling of Deir Sinbul on August 18, 2023. (Image posted by @Najdat567)
    From @Najdat567 on Twitter
  • Damage caused by alleged Syrian regime/Russian shelling of Deir Sinbul on August 18, 2023. (Image posted by @Najdat567)
    From @Najdat567 on Twitter
  • Damage caused by alleged Syrian regime/Russian shelling of Deir Sinbul on August 18, 2023. (Image posted by @Najdat567)
    From @Najdat567 on Twitter
  • Civil defense volunteers respond to alleged Syrian regime/Russian shelling of Deir Sinbul on August 18, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI431

Incident date

January 17, 2017

Location

الرشيدية, Mosul, Al-Rashidiyah, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.406245, 43.102194 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.

Incident Code

CI715a

Incident date

May 16, 2017

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.35863, 43.10193 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the deaths of two civilians in an event near Mosul.

Their April 2018 civilian casualty report noted: “It was assessed that during a Coalition strike against an ISIS commander, ISIS headquarters and VBIED operation which destroyed the VBIED operation, two civilians were unintentionally killed when they inadvertently walked into the blast radius of the strike.”

The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

Airwars previously thought that this report was referencing CI715, however, in July 2019 Coalition officials indicated to Airwars that they were separate incidents.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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
    Entered target area just prior to or after munition released
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    2
  • Stated location
    near Mosul Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF297254
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 2018

  • May 16, 2017, near Mosul Iraq, via self-report. It was assessed that during a Coalition strike against an ISIS commander, ISIS headquarters and VBIED operation which destroyed the VBIED operation, two civilians were unintentionally killed when they inadvertently walked into the blast radius of the strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 15th-16th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine fighting positions, two mortar systems, to medium machine guns, two VBIEDs, two ISIS-held buildings, two VBIED facilities, and a supply cache; damaged 13 ISIS supply routes and nine fighting positions; and suppressed three ISIS tactical units and two mortar teams.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS027

Incident date

March 9, 2018

Location

Ma'rsteh, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.380833, 37.075833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 9th, The Smart News Agency reported: “a woman and her child were wounded on Friday by an artillery bombardment of the Kurdish “People’s Protection Units” on the village of Ma’rsteh al-Khan (21 km north of Aleppo) in northern Syria.

The correspondent of Smart quoted a military source that a 120mm mortar shell was fired by Kurdish units from their positions around the village of Meriamin, pointing out that the wounded were taken to the hospital in the city of Azaz for treatment.”

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (7) [ collapse]

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI294a

Incident date

October 13, 2016

Location

Shora village near Qayyarah, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.99725, 43.22489 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Following the New York Times Magazine’s Uncounted investigation, the Coalition later confirmed the injury of a civilian in an event in Shora, a village near Qayyarah, Iraq.

According to reporters Azmat Khan and Anand Ghopal, “Mohammad Mansour Abdullah’s house was next to the home of an Army Officer who fled Shora when ISIS took over. An ISIS member named Omar Hussain Faraj moved into the empty Army Officer’s house, which had a generator and a big fan, and used the house to make mortars. Mohammad Mansour Abdullah—fearful of becoming collateral damage—moved into another house elsewhere in Shora, but his brother’s family stayed in their house next-door-since they were not directly next to the ISIS house.

“On October 13, 2016, there was an airstrike on the home of Mohammad Mansour Abdullah. The airstrike did not hit the ISIS house; Instead, it only hit the home of Mohammad Mansour Abdullah. His nephew Hassan Ahmed Mansour was injured on his arm.”

The Coalition’s September 2019 civilian casualty report noted: “Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally wounded as a result of the strike.”

The Coalition provided Airwars with the location for this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ 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
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    1
  • Stated location
    in Qayyarah, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLE400851
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 26, 2019

  • October, 13, 2016, in Qayyarah, Iraq, via media report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally wounded as a result of the strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

Near Ar Rutbah, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
 Near Kisik, one strike engaged an ISIL staging area and destroyed two tunnels.
 Near Mosul, five strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and a chemical weapons facility; destroyed
three tunnel entrances, a tunnel, a rocket rail, a vehicle, and a trench; and damaged a trench network.
 Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes engaged an ISIL weapons factory and destroyed two boats.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]