Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

CS153

Incident date

December 6, 2015

Location

دير الزور‎, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3333335, 40.1499999 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman and her two children were reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Dayr ez Zawr city.

Reuters cited the Syrian Observatory as reporting that “In Deir al-Zor city, another air strike overnight killed a woman and two of her children.”

In comments relating to the previous incident, an anonymous US official told AP that “Radar shows Russian bombers making seven passes over the city of Deir el-Zour dropping munitions.”

In their January 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV045106
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 3, 2020

  • December 6, 2015, in Deir Ez Zor, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2884/CS153 37SFV045106

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reported that for December 6th-7th 2015 “Near Dayr Ar Zawr, four strikes struck four ISIL oil well-heads.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS231

Incident date

December 6, 2015

Location

تدمر, Palmyra, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.569294, 38.263063 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three adult male civilians were reported killed and 20 wounded in an alleged Russian airstrikes on Palmyra, according to the Shaam News Network.

SNN reported that three Russian fighter jets launched multiple air raids, with half of them concentrated on the city of Palmyra and the other half on the outskirts.

The raids reportedly caused “massive destruction, where entire neighbourhoods were razed to the ground.”

Three victims were initially named by the Violations Documentation Centre.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mohammad al-Saleem al-Shalil –
Adult male killed
Yazan Jameel al Shail
Child Died from his injures on the 8th of December. killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Mahmoud Mezel
Adult male killed
Khaled Abdulsattar al-Muhaya
Adult male He died, “due to his wounds sustained from Russian air forces shelling” killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Palmyra (تدمر), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.569294, 38.263063. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS232

Incident date

December 6, 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

15 civilians including eight children and five women were reportedly killed and 25 injured when Russian warplanes allegedly bombed the city of Raqqa, according to multiple sources.

Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered said non-combatants were killed in the agricultural fields west of the city in Al Kahtaniya farm and at the crossroads of Hitteen farm.

The Daesh-linked news agency Al A’maq reported the same casualty figures as Raqqa is Being Slaughtered and said the Russian raids targeted the edge of the city. Shaam News Network also reported on the alleged incident, but referred to the Al A’maq report.

The Network stated: “After a lull for a few days, Raqqa is again facing all sorts of planes. The Russian enemy started a new series of raids on the city, targeting a number of areas within the city, causing extensive damage to residential buildings and killing 15 martyrs among civilians, while Daesh did not announce targeted places or those killed in the ranks of the organization. Activists said that the targeting was on various locations, Al Ta’la’e camp and Al Fouroussiya on the edges of town, areas used by IS in the past.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • (8 children5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    25
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on farmland on the outskirts of Raqqa, Dec 6th (via SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • (8 children5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    25
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS233

Incident date

December 6, 2015

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three non-combatants including one child were reported killed and several injured in an airstrike on Douma – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

According to Al Jazeera Russia was responsible for the raid. But the Syrian Network blamed the regime, naming one child, Ibrahim Hadid, who “died in regime artillery mortar shell fired on Duma city in Rif Dimashq governorate, December 6.”

Additionally, All4Syria reported that air strikes on the city of Zamalka in the Ghouta Zamalka area of eastern Damascus (see entry below) coincided “with artillery shelling on the city of Douma in the eastern Ghouta, causing the deaths of three civilians, including a child and wounded several others have been their ministry to medical points,” suggesting again that the regime was responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ibrahim Hadid
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A member of the White Helmets holds the body of a child following an alleged Russian airstrike on Douma, 6th Dec (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI150

Incident date

December 5, 2015

Location

الرمادي, Ramadi, Warrar, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.429722, 43.277222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources claimed that at least five civilians – mostly children and women from two displaced families – were killed and six to 12 wounded after an aerial bombing of their home in the Warrar area of Ramadi.

Al Samaria quoted what it said was an anonymous source in the Daesh-occupied city: “Two missiles from military aircraft landed today on two houses in downtown Ramadi, killing five people, including women and children, and wounding six others, including women and children… The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, and the bodies to the forensic medicine department.”

A number of graphic photos depicted dead and injured children.

In a posting since deleted, Al Fallujah News described the attack as the result of “government shelling,” and also posted video of a 2am attack on the city which it said was by government forces.

In its July 2017 casualty report, the Coalition said it had classed the event as non credible on grounds of available evidence: “Dec. 5, 2015, near Ramadi, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

However given the confirmed proximity of Coalition strikes on the day, Airwars is seeking additional clarification.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (1–4 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images of the supposed 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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • 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 there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reported continued heavy strikes at Ramadi for December 4th-5th 2015: “Near Ramadi, seven strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL bunker, two ISIL VBIEDs, 15 ISIL fighting positions, 12 ISIL buildings, three ISIL light machine guns, three ISIL RPGs, an ISIL anti-air artillery piece, an ISIL assembly area, five ISIL staging areas, an ISIL weapons cache, and denied ISIL access to terrain.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (1–4 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS224

Incident date

December 4, 2015

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.840505, 36.72922 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Thirteen civilians including three women and four children were reported killed at Talbiseh  – and at least 10 children injured. Multiple sources were divided in blaming Russia or the Assad regime.

According to The Syrian Revolution News for Talbissa more than 10 children were injured in the attack. It posted multiple videos – along with Shaam News Network – depicting the wounded. Additionally, the group published a video showing the body of an adult male.

13 victims were later named by the Violations Documentation Centre.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Ali Mohammad al-Ali
Adult male Possibly another name given to said victim - A’leem al A’li. killed
Leena Jasem al-Ali
Child female killed
Iman al-Ali
Child female killed
Iman al-Ali
Child female killed
Iman al-Ali
Adult female killed
Inaam al-Ali
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Husam Mohammad Darweesh
Child male killed
Walaa Mahmuod Yehya
Adult male killed
Nawal Abdul Rahman al-Merie
Adult female killed
Fadel Shahoud
Adult male killed
Mhanna Jarwan Zzz Eddin Deir Ba’alba
Adult male killed
Abdulrahman al-Boustah
Adult male killed
Mohammad Khalif Bakour
Adult male Passed away the following day from his injuries. killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13
  • (4 children3 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • A visual image of the raids targeting Talbisah. (via, Eye on Homeland).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Multiple wounded children following a contested airstrike. (via, The Syrian Revolution News of Talbisah)
  • Images of the destruction to local buildings in the aftermath of the contested airstrikes on Talbisah. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A female child injured as a result of targeted airstrikes to her hometown of Talbisah. (via, SNN and Talbisah Media)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of an injured child. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic video of a young boy injured by the contested Russian and Syrian regime warplanes. (via, The Syrian Revolution News of Talbissa)
  • Moments after the airstrikes, in Talbisah. (via, The Syrian Revolution News of Talbisah)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Video evidence of one of the victims. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic images of a child victim from the Russian and Syrian Regime airstrikes in Talbisah. (via, SNN)
  • More footage of the exact moment the airstrikes took place on 4th December 2015. (via, An eye on the Homeland)
  • The moment Talbiash was targeted. (via, FSA)
  • Video showing the destruction to the infrastructure. (via, FSA)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Video showing an injured baby. (via, FSA)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Video showing injured children. (via FSA)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the child victims of the contested airstrikes. (via, Zamanal Wasl)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

For November 26th-December 4th 2015, Russia reported carrying out 431 combat sorties, including strikes in Homs.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13
  • (4 children3 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS225

Incident date

December 4, 2015

Location

كقر بطنا, Kafr Batnah, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.513015, 36.374424 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 16 non-combatants including 3 to 6 children were reported killed, and dozens injured, in an alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrike on Kafr Batnah according to reports by the Shaam News Network and others.

SNN said Russian warplanes launched rockets on the main square in the town. It added that the planes returned to carry out more strikes when paramedics arrived on the scene.

A graphic video posted by SNN shows a burning car, and a voice off camera said that there were six children in the vehicle.

While most sources blamed Russia, the VDC said the Assad regime was responsible for 15 deaths.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Firas Abdulhay
Child male killed
From Abdulhay Family
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Kheir Ashoush
Adult male killed
Omar Ghuzlani
Adult male killed
Muhi al-Dein Antar
Adult male killed
Muhi al-Dein Makawi
Adult male killed
Subhi Sadeih
Adult male killed
Ahmad Balour
Adult male killed
Abdulrahman Mando
Adult male killed
Ahmad Saqan
Adult male killed
Layla al-Aqad
Adult female killed
Ola Haytham Darweish
Child female killed
Mohammad Ali Tah
Adult male killed
Rafiqah Dabaan
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 16
  • (3–6 children2 women9 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A graphic video showing a burning car with children trapped inside. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child in a medical facility following a contested airstrike. (via, SNN)
  • Injured child following an airstrike in Kafr Batnah. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Some victims of a contested airstrike. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More victims of Kafr Batnah. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A young boy injured after an airstrike on his neighbourhood. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child in a medial facility in Kafr Batnah. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim. The image also shows the scale of damage to the local infrastructure. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim still in the rubble of a destroyed building. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More images documenting the destruction to the local infrastructure. (via, SNN)
  • A man carrying an injured child. (via, SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of the airstrikes on 4th December 2015. (via,SNN)
  • Local civilians carrying an injured child into an ambulance. (via, SNN)
  • A local market destroyed. (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

For November 26th-December 4th 2015, Russia reported carrying out 431 combat sorties, including strikes in Aleppo governorate.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 16
  • (3–6 children2 women9 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS226

Incident date

December 4, 2015

Location

مسكنة, Maskanah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.964534, 38.036764 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike with more than 15 missiles on the road between Maskan and Kafrnasseh, Aleppo, according to the Shaam News Network.

Shaam also asserted that once ambulance rescue services arrived the planes struck again, injuring members of the White Helmets who attended the scene. All4Syria said 20 civilians were injured in the event.

The site Syria 2011 named the dead.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ayman Mohammed Alabso
28 years old killed
Khalil Haj Khalil Ripper
40 years old killed
Ali Ismail Junaid
27 years old killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

For November 26th-December 4th 2015, Russia reported carrying out 431 combat sorties, including strikes in Aleppo governorate.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]