Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

RS262

Incident date

December 11, 2015

Location

هجين, Hajeen, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.6897222, 40.83 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was reported killed and another civilian injured in an alleged Russian airstrike at Hajeen.

No additional details are presently known.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • News report on the event. (via, Jisir TV)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS263

Incident date

December 11, 2015

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two male civilians were reported killed in either a Russian or Assad regime airstrike on Arbeen. The town’s local medical committee reported “Dozens of injured received by the hospital in Arbeen after the outskirts of the town of Arbeen, Zamalka and other eastern Ghouta towns were targeted by warplanes that are still targeting public places and civilians.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hasan Maysour Shroosh
Adult male named by the VDC, who they said were victims of unspecified ‘warplane shelling’ killed
Mohammad Ziad al-Khateeb
Adult male named by the VDC, who they said were victims of unspecified ‘warplane shelling’ killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • Medics tend to wounded from Russian or Assad regime strikes on Arbeen, December 11th 2015 (via Arbeen Medical Committee)
  • The exact moment that the alleged Russian airstrike fell onto Arbeen. (via, Baladi News)
  • The exact moment that the alleged Russian airstrike fell onto Arbeen. (via, Baladi News)
  • White Helmets run to the scene to rescue trapped civilians. (via, White Helmets)
  • White Helmets working on a patient inside a medical facility. (via, The Medical Committee in the town of Arbeen)
  • Graphic photograph of an injured man receiving medical help. (via, The Medical Committee in the town of Arbeen)
  • An injured man in Arbeen. (via, The Medical Committee in the town of Arbeen)
  • An injured child as a result of alleged Russian airstrikes. (via, The Medical Committee in the town of Arbeen)
  • Graphic image of a seriously injured man. He is also covered in dust. (via, The Medical Committee in the town of Arbeen)
  • A graphic image of a man receiving medical treatment. (via, The Medical Committee in the town of Arbeen)
  • Another image of a member of the White Helmets helping an injured man. (via, The Medical Committee in the town of Arbeen)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Arbeen, for which the generic coordinates are: 33.538143, 36.364331. 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

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS155

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.94907, 39.00222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a casualty event previously unknown to Airwars, CENTCOM confirmed on April 22nd 2016 that one civilian was killed during a US airstrike against a high value target in Raqqah.

According to the official release, “On Dec. 10, 2015, near Ar Raqqah, Syria, during strikes against Siful Sujan, an ISIL external operations planner, it was assessed that one civilian was killed.”

Our researchers have been unable to identify any additional reports relating to this incident.

In July 2019, the Coalition provided Airwars with coordinates for this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars geolocated it to the nearest city at 35.9505639, 39.0094148

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
    1
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV002783
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 22, 2016
  • On Dec. 10, 2015, near Ar Raqqah, Syria, during strikes against Siful Sujan, an ISIL external operations planner, it was assessed that one civilian was killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and wounded ISIL fighters.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS253

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807607, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One 30-year-old male civilian, Mohammad Muffed Razzouq, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Salheen, according to the Violations Documentation Centre.

No further details are available at the present time.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Muffed Razzouq
30 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS254

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

كفر زيتة, Kafr Zita, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.37425, 36.6033 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three adult males were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Zita.

The victims were named by the VDC.

While most described the trio as civilians, one tweet said they were rebel fighters with the group Ajnad al Sham.

Reporting remains confused, with multiple alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafr Zita between December 9th and 12th which resulted in a likely total of six civilian deaths.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Ahmad Mohammad al-Aboud
Adult male killed
Mustafa Emad al-Aboud
Adult male killed
Mahmoud Ahmad al-Aboud
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Video with sound footage of airstrikes falling on Kafr Zita. (via, Revolutionary Command Counter)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Deceased body of Ahmad Mohammad Al A’bboud, following an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime airstrike. (via, The Syrian revolution in the town of Kafr Zita)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of three adult males. This tweet suggests that the deceased are Islamist Militants. The tweet states that "Ajnad al Sham" announces the death, which is the name of an Islamist Militant Group. (via, Husain)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Kafr Zita (كفر زيتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.37425, 36.6033. 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

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS255

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

بزاعة, Baza'a, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.383201, 37.565723 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including one woman and her two children were killed in an airstrike on Baza’a – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Violations Documentation Centre listed three unidentified non-combatants as killed in Russian shelling.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, however, blamed the regime.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Baza’a, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.383201, 37.565723. 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

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LQ020

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

بنغازي‎, Leithi, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.094722, 20.1275 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twitter sources reported airstrikes in the Benghazi neighbourhoods of Leithi, Al-Halis, Al-Nahr, Tika and Bouatni.

According to @LibyasChannel, “the Air Force continued to target the sites of terrorists in Al-Leithi and Alnahr road and Hawari and the western axis in the vicinity of the region of Alhalis”.

There were no known public reports of civilian harm at the time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

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

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI155

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

الرمادي, Ramadi, Road between Ramadi and Rutba, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.437441, 43.286666 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians – including a senior veterinarian and his wife – were reported killed when three vehicles were hit in an alleged Coalition airstrike, as they travelled on the road between Ramadi and Rutba.

Dr. Ahmed Hamid Al-Jumaily (pictured) – the director of a major veterinary hospital in Anbar – was killed along with his wife, and his wife’s father. Four or five other civilians also died, named as Hazem Al Sarhan and his wife and children in what was claimed to be a Coalition attack. Ramadi had been the scene of heavy airstrikes for some weeks.

In its July 2017 casualty report, the Coalition said it had classed the event as non credible on grounds of no strikes in the near vicinity: “Dec. 10, 2015, near Ramadi, 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 the well documented nature of this event, Airwars has requested additional information from the Coalition – and continues to assess this event as likely.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Dr. Ahmed Hamid Al-Jumaily
Adult male Director of a veterinary hospital in Anbar killed
Hazem Al Sarhan
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (2 children2 women2 men)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Senior vetinarian Dr. Ahmed Hamid Al-Jumaily, killed with 7 others in reported Coalition strike December 10th 2015 (via Heet News)
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 Ramadi, 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 9th-10th 2015 the Coalition reported that “Near Ramadi, six strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL boats, five ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL weapons caches, and four ISIL command and control nodes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (2 children2 women2 men)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]