Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

CI022

Incident date

December 16, 2014

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34585235, 43.09857692 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an event previously unreported by Airwars, an internal Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) reported “4 unknown persons potentially injured while moving into the engagement area,” during a Coalition airstrike on Objective Nebula, a targeted vehicle.

France later confirmed that it had carried out a targeted strike in Mosul on that date, though it is not presently clear whether this was the incident in question.

A subsequent review of full motion video from the event showed that “the 4 individuals in question eventually fled the scene of the strike.” It was also noted that there were no subsequent media reports of casualties.

However, given the potential risk to civilians during the event, CENTCOM also reported that “TF [Task Force] is still conducting an investigation into decisions made relating to the strike.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (4 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:5:"other";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015
  • BDA on strike on named objective (Nebula). FMV received; storyboard received. Initial BDA was 4 unknown persons potentially injured while moving into engagement area. TF assessed the allegation not to be credible based on a review of all source intel. Review of FMV showed that the 4 individuals in question eventually fled the scene of the strike. XXX indicated that the only persons killed or injured were those in the targeted vehicle. No reflections of ClVCAS received through XXX and media reports. However, TF is still conducting an investigation into decisions made related to the strike.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (4 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI021

Incident date

December 13, 2014

Location

الرمادي, Ramadi, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In an event previously unreported by Airwars, Coalition reported an unspecified open source as publishing a picture of a dead child “without any identification of original location”.

According to provisional analysis “There was one airstrike in Ramadi on 13 December (strike #1266) which was unlikely to have caused the death.” No further action was recorded by CENTCOM.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:5:"other";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Fallujah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015
  • Pictures show dead child without any identification of original location. There was one airstrike in Ramadi on 13 Dec (Strike #1266) which was unlikely to have caused the death.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS034

Incident date

December 12, 2014

Location

كشيش, Kashish, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.5044792, 40.74354

Airwars assessment

Two unnamed civilian males were reported by a single source to have been killed in a coalition airstrike on the village of Kashish,

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Kashish, Syria
    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

No coalition airstrikes have officially been reported as taking place in Al Hassakah governorate, for either December 10th-12th, or for December 12th-15th 2014.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS033

Incident date

December 11, 2014

Location

مسكنة, Jirah Military Airbase, al Maskana, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.0962736, 37.9406834 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A shepherd boy aged 10, 14 or 15, and named as Muhammad Qasim (or sometimes Mohammed Abd al Kareem), was reportedly killed in a coalition airstrike on a nearby Islamic State military base.

An investigation by the Syrian Network for Human Rights later concluded: “Around 2:45 in the afternoon an international alliance warplane raided over Al-Jarrah military airbase located on Al-Maskaneh – Deir Hafr road in eastern Aleppo countryside, which is under ISIS command. The shelling of the airbase surroundings killed a shepherd who was a child.” According to the monitoring group the flock of sheep was owned by the boy’s brother, a member of Islamic State.

An eyewitness told SN4HR that he had visited the family immediately following the air strike: “The parents told me that the boy was sitting near one of the buildings that was targeted inside the airport, and which led to the injury of his head by shrapnel metal and that it almost entirely crushed his head. His parents then buried him in the village after they received the body from ISIS fighters who also lost fighters to death because of the raids, but I do not know the number.”

 

The incident occured at 14:45:00 local time.

Summary

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

The Syria Network for Human Rights reports that an alleged “Coalition aircraft bombed the Al-Jarah military airport and its surroundings with three missiles, which caused the death of a child who was sitting near one of the buildings that had been targeted within the airport.” The coordinates for the Jirah Military Airbase (الجيرة القاعدة الجوية) are: 36.0962736, 37.9406834

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 Maskhanah, Syria
    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

One coalition event between December 10th-12th 2014 appears to match the incident: “Near Aleppo, an airstrike struck five ISIL-occupied buildings.”

Summary

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

LQ005

Incident date

December 11, 2014

Location

ابوكماش, Abu Kammash, Nuqat al Khums, Libya

Geolocation

33.073889, 11.751667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported an airstrike in Abu Kammash without naming the belligerent. There were no reports of civilian harm.

According to Hafez Muammar, a plane bombed a citizen’s farm near the residential buildings in Abu Kamash area, without causing casualties or material damage. The sound of the missile explosion terrified the residents of the area, who were surprised by the bombing of this farm, which is very close to the residential buildings.

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
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown 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
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI020

Incident date

December 9, 2014

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

Up to 9 civilians were reported killed and 32 injured in what NINA described as a “coalition airstrike” on people queuing for fuel in the city.

On the following day Al Jazeera, Rudaw, NINA and Mobtaba all described attacks on the districts of “Al Jolan north of the city, Nizal in the centre of the city and The Shuhada’a and Al Tamim neighbourhoods in the South” as being the work of Iraq Army heavy artillery.

An internal CENTCOM investigation reported that the Coalition was not responsible for the incident: “There were no airstrikes in Fallujah on 09 December. There were two airstrikes in Ramadi on 08 and 09 December… neither against vehicle and area depicted in video.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    32
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:5:"other";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Fallujah, Iraq, al Jolan neighbourhood
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015
  • Youtube video showing mangled truck and dead and injured. Video mentions bombing and only refereNe to airstrike is in the title page. FIR provided. There were no airstrikes in Fallujah on 09 December.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    32
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC008

Incident date

December 3, 2014

Location

زوارة بورت , Zuwara Port, Nuqat al Khums, Libya

Geolocation

32.921944, 12.120556 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

LNA airstrikes reportedly targeted the port area in Zuwara. Most sources claimed there were no civilian casualties, though one report said that seven people were killed and 25 injured – but didn’t specify if they were civilians or combatants.

Ean Libya reported that the security official Spokesman (Hafed Muamer) confirmed that no casualties occurred during this strike: A warplane bombed the port without causing any civilian casualties, and it was also not possible to know the material losses so far, the spokesman of the security bureau, Zuwara Hafez Muammar, was quoted as saying.

According to Almukhtaser, seven people were killed and 25 injured in air strikes on the Libyan city of Zuwara in raids by the government aircraft of Haftar.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–25
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 7 persons have been killed in an alleged LNA airstrikes (Source: @almokhtsar)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Zuwara Port (زوارة بورت ), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.922249, 12.118607. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
    0 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–25
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS032

Incident date

December 2, 2014

Location

المريعية, Marbaʼīyah, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.2726894, 40.2245951 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilian males, both residents of the village of Al-Mrey’iya, were reported by SOHR to have been killed in a coalition airstrike. They were named as Hassan Al Ali Al Zahiya and Moyyed Mohammad Al Assaf.

The Committee for the Defence of Democracy, Freedoms and Human Rights also named the two men as civilians – but said that Moyyed Mohammad Al Assaf was killed in an airstrike at Al Shadadi on December 1st, while Hassan Al Ali Al Zahiya was reportedly “killed in the ‘countryside of Deir Ezzor” the following day.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 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

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al-Mrey’iya, Deir Ezzor (المريعية), for which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 35.2726894, 40.2245951. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further

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 al-Mrey’iyah, Syria
    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

The coalition has confirmed airstrikes in the vicinity between December 3rd-5th 2014, though has not conceded any non-combatant casualties: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, an airstrike destroyed three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL excavator and struck a ISIL training camp.” Between December 1st-3rd, the coalition has only publicly reported airstrikes for the Kobane area.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 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