Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

RS289

Incident date

December 18, 2015

Location

الناجية, Najieh, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.7894815, 36.2177181 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seventeen non-combatants including eight women and nine children were killed in airstrikes on Najieh near Jisr al Shughour according to multiple sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime. Thirteen of those killed as well as an unborn child came from one family, the Hilals.

Shaam News and the Syrian Observatory said Russian warplane were responsible. SNN said the attacks were carried out while worshippers were leaving Friday prayers, and that civilian houses were targeted. But the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the civilians died when regime warplanes fired two missiles.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (14)

Child male killed
Child female killed
Child male killed
Child female killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Child female killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Child male unborn child killed

Family members (3)

The victims were named as:

Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (9 children8 women)
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets carrying injured civilians. (via, Jisr el Shoughour)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aboudi Ayman Hilal, killed in a contested airstrike. (via VDC)
  • Injured children are rescued from the rubble. (via, Jisr Media Centre)
  • Another photograph of children being rescued. (via, Jisr Media Centre)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a deceased unborn child. (via, Jisr Media Centre)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a deceased child. (via, Jisr Media Centre)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

No Russian reports were published for December 16th-18th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (9 children8 women)
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS290

Incident date

December 18, 2015

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Four to five civilians were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Hraytan, north of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

No further details are available at the present time.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hraytan (حريتان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.287032, 37.08332. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

No Russian reports were published for December 16th-18th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS285

Incident date

December 17, 2015

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.949949, 39.007363 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

21 civilians were killed including two women and four children and 11 wounded in airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods in the centre and north and south of the city of Raqqa, according to multiple sources –  though it is unclear whether regime or Russian warplanes or shelling by the Assad regime were responsible for the casualties.

According to the IS news agency Al A’maq, Russian raids targeted a residential neighbourhood in the north of the city and also targeted the abandoned former Islamic Court building near the old bridge south of the city and the firefighting and rescue building.

The Shaam News Network also quoted the Al A’maq coverage.

Al Raqqa is Being Slaughtered silently also reported on the incident, listing the dead and adding that Russian raids after midnight targeted the finance building (leading to its total destruction), the train station (also completely destroying it) and burning out three fire fighting cars. They stated that six members of the fire fighting team were amongst those killed, while an entire family also died when their house was struck.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the Assad regime for the shelling, which they said killed 12 civilians including two women and four children.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Mohammad Abdullah al Ali
Adult male named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
His daughter Wala’a Al Ali
Child female named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
His son Hassan al Ali
Child male named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
His son Mohannad Al Ali
Child male named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
His son Fadi Al Ali
Child male named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
His wife Wissal Al Hajji
Adult female named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed

Family members (4)

Nasser Ibrahim Al Abd
Adult male named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
Wife of Nasser Ibrahim Al Abd
Adult female named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
Daughter 1 of Nasser Ibrahim Al Abd
Child female named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
Daughter 2 of Nasser Ibrahim Al Abd
Child female named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed

The victims were named as:

Omar Ibn Ibrahim Al Hajj Ahmad Al Saeed
Age unknown male named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
Ismail Al Hamdi
Age unknown male from Al Suwaida village, named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed
Maher al Abid Al Hajji
Adult male a fireman from from the Al Assadiya farm area, named by Al Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    21
  • (4 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • The martyred family of Mohammad Abdallah Al Ali, killed in alleged Russian raid on their house in Raqqa, December 17th. (via, Al Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a deceased male adult and a child. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A graphic image of a deceased male. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A graphic image of a deceased male who appears to be burnt. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A graphic image of a decapitated deceased male. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • A hole in the ground formed by an airstrike. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • The underside of a hole. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • Some damaged infrastructure. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • A child's bike buried under the rubble. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • Some more damaged infrastructure in Raqqa. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • Civilians amongst the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged contested airstrike. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • Damaged vehicles in the aftermath of an airstrike in Raqqa. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • Entire roads have been uprooted by airstrikes in the neighbourhood. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)
  • Maher al Abid Al Hajji, a fireman killed by alleged Russian and Syrian Regime airstrikes. (via, Al Raqqa is being slaughtered silently)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

No Russian reports were published for December 16th-18th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    21
  • (4 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS286

Incident date

December 17, 2015

Location

أعزاز‎, A`zaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.586273, 37.04739 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight to nine civilians including two children and five women were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Azaz, according to multiple sources.

The White Helmets, Al Jazeera, the Shaam News Network and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Russia carried out the raid, which killed nine non-combatants.

SOHR said this included a child, a girl and five women from the same family.

Syria4allAksalsaser, Smart News Agency and Alan TV also blamed Russian for the attack.

White Helmets also commented on one Unidentified victim.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Mohammad Joma’a Hamada
70 years old male from Sayeed family, named by the White Helmets killed
Wife of Mohammad Joma’a Hamada
65 years old female named by the White Helmets killed
Mariyam Mohammad Joma’a Hamada,
45 years old female named by the White Helmets killed
Sabiha Mohammad Joma’a Hamada
40 years old female named by the White Helmets killed
Safia Mohammad Joma’a Hamada
35 years old female named by the White Helmets killed
Daniya Mohammad Joma’a Hamada
16 years old female named by the White Helmets killed
Juma’a
10 years old male the grandson of Mohammad Joma’a Hamada, named by the White Helmets killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2 children5 women1 man)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

No Russian reports were published for December 16th-18th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2 children5 women1 man)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS287

Incident date

December 17, 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

Between four and nine civilians were reported killed and 2 to 25 injured in an airstrike on Al Bab, according to multiple sources – though it is unclear whether regime shelling or Russian warplanes were responsible for the attacks.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that four non-combatants were killed and several others injured when warplanes “believed to be Russian” struck areas in Al Bab city in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo.

The IS agency Al A’maq stated that there had been four Russian raid which killed nine non-combatants and wounded 25. The Shaam News Network also put the death toll at nine.

But the Syrian Network for for Human Rights blamed regime shelling for the casualties, reporting that at least four civilians were killed.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 9
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–25
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

No Russian reports were published for December 16th-18th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 9
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–25
  • 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

RS288

Incident date

December 17, 2015

Location

حي المرجة, Al Murja, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1867279, 37.1785927 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Dozens were reported killed and injured in a friendly fire incident when Russian warplanes allegedly targeted Al Murja, killing dozens of regime fighters by mistake, according to the Shaam News Network.

No further details are currently available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

No Russian reports were published for December 16th-18th 2016.

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI160

Incident date

December 17, 2015

Location

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.3532137, 43.7875674 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Amid heavy airstrikes on the city of Fallujah, at least four children were among up to eight people reported killed when a home was struck in an alleged Coalition attack.

According to Al Fallujah News, those killed were a father, mother and their six children. News Fallujah Now, citing “medical sources at Fallujah General Hospital” instead said that six civilians had died (four children and 2 women) wth a further nine injured.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • (4–6 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 16th-17th 2015, the Coalition reported that “Near Fallujah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL sniper position, an ISIL tunnel, two ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL RPG system, and wounded an ISIL fighter.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • (4–6 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI159

Incident date

December 16, 2015

Location

شارع السكلات, Hit, Alscalt Street, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.628342, 42.8341752 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

It was reported by several sources that the Coalition struck Hit city, resulting in the injury of eight civilians including three children and two women.

According to the local site Hit News, an airstrike struck a militant vehicle carrying weapons, ammunition and food, injuring civilians in the immediate vicinity. The Coalition has confirmed targeting an ‘ISIL home-made explosives cache’ in the city.

However in its July 2017 report, the Coalition classed the event as non credible saying it had not conducted strikes in the vicinity: “Dec. 16, 2015, near Hit, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

Given that the Coalition had confirmed strikes at Hit on the day, Airwars has requested additional information form the Coalition – and continues to assess this as a possible event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Images of victims and the aftermath of the attack
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
    near Hit, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 16th-17th 2015, the Coalition reported that “Near Hit, one strike destroyed an ISIL home-made explosives cache.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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]