Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

RUK197

Incident date

May 12, 2022

Location

Шебелинка, Shebelynka, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.45265, 36.51992 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were killed and five others were injured by alleged Russian shelling of Shebelynka on May 12, 2022.

The head office of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv posted on Telegram that an enemy projectile hit a “hangar building” at 4:35pm causing a fire to break out on the roof of the building and catching 10 trucks on fire. Oleg Sinegubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, added that as a result, three people died and five more were injured.

Images posted by Kharkiv Life on Telegram show extensive damage internally and externally to a building.

No other information is available at this time.

This incident has reference to ACLED code UKR57695.

The incident occured at 16:35:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Shebelynka (Шебелинка), for which the generic coordinates are: 49.45265, 36.51992. 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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr200

Incident date

June 24, 2019–June 25, 2020

Location

الجماجم, Al Jamajem, Al Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.161298, 45.471865 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least five alleged AQAP militants were reportedly killed by a US drone strike in Al-Jamajem area, Tayab, in the Dhi Naseem district of Bayda governorate, overnight from June 24th-25th 2019. In an email to Airwars, US Central Command later confirmed that a strike had taken place on June 24th. Since there were no other reports of a strike on that day, this event is treated as declared.

Those killed were named by multiple local sources, including Al-Masdar Online, Al-Arabiya, and Sputnik, as ‘[prominent’ AQAP leader Al-Khadhir Al-Tayyabi; Abdul Rahman Al-Tayyabi; Salem Al-Wahaishi; and Ali Abdo Al-Wahaishi; as well as an additional person partially named as Al-Mallahi.

Local sources told Al-Masdar Online that a US drone had launched three missiles on an area of a nearby hill, killing five. Security sources told Xinhua that those killed were mid-level commanders.

While almost all sources reported that the strike took place late on June 24th, several such as Middle East Online and 7adramout, instead reported the strike as having taken place early on the next day. The earliest tweet identified by Airwars for this event was at 01.26am local time on June 25th. Accounting for this, we have assessed that the strike took place overnight.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Al Jamajem (الجماجم) area, allegedly located in the Tayab (طياب) subdistrict, within the north of the Dhi Nhim (ذي ناعم) district. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Tayab district are: 14.161298, 45.471865.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Al Jamajem (الجماجم) area, allegedly located in the Tayab (طياب) subdistrict, within the north of the Dhi Nhim (ذي ناعم) district.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

LTC Earl Brown, CENTCOM spokesman, 4th July 2019: Only one strike in Al Bayda on 24 June. No collateral damage or CIVCAS
assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS396

Incident date

November 25, 2016

Location

الرقة‎, Near Ar Raqqah, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Airwars assessment

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
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

Incident Code

USSOM385

Incident date

May 20, 2023

Location

Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

0.493790, 42.776410 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One senior al-Shabaab militant was injured by declared US AFRICOM airstrikes on Jilib, Somalia on May 20, 2023.

Somali National News Agency’s Twitter account @SONNALIVE first announced that “In a joint operation with international allies, the armed forces launched an airstrike on #Jilib city, the headquarters of #AlShabab terrorists. The enemy suffered losses in terms of casualties and destroyed equipment.”

The next day, AFRICOM announced that “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM conducted an airstrike against the al-Shabaab militant network in Somalia on May 20, 2023. The strike occurred in Jilib, Somalia. Following a comprehensive battle damage assessment USAFRICOM assesses that one al-Shabaab fighter was injured as a result of the operation. The command’s assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed.”

Former al-Shabaab official Omar Mohamed Abu Ayan told Voice of America that Al-Shabaab’s head of external operations Osman Mohamed Abdi, known as Moallim Osman, was the target of the operation and appears to have survived the strike with an injury.

Somalia’s Ministry of Information said in a statement that the target Moallim oversaw bringing foreign fighters to Somalia to join al-Shabaab. Another Somali official said that he was involved in planning the al-Shabaab attack in January 2016 against an African Union military base manned by Kenyan forces in El Adde, which is the hometown of Moallim, as well as supervising al-Shabaab attacks on Kenya and their incursion into Ethiopia in 2022.

Garowe Online reported on May 26th that according to multiple sources, Moallim was in “critical and unconscious” condition, had suffered “major injuries” and that his condition was “deteriorating on an hourly basis”.

@HarunMaruf gave context that the strike occurred while the Director of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency was visiting Washington and New York, meeting with the Pentagon, FBI and CIA Officials.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Jilib, for which the generic coordinates are: 0.493790, 42.776410. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM conducted an airstrike against the al-Shabaab militant network in Somalia on May 20, 2023.

The strike occurred in Jilib, Somalia.

*Following a comprehensive battle damage assessment USAFRICOM assesses that one al-Shabaab fighter was injured as a result of the operation. The command’s assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed.

U.S. Africa Command takes great measures to prevent civilian casualties. Protecting innocent civilians remains a vital part of the command’s operations to promote a more secure and stable Africa.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS607

Incident date

July 4, 2023

Location

تديل, Tadil, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.165062, 36.887472 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On 4 July 2023, a family of four, including a mother and two girls, were killed and another civilian was injured by an artillery strike in the village of Tadil in the town of Urm al-Kubra, which is located in the countryside of Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights released a statement that said the family were killed as a result of artillery shelling by the Turkish-backed factions of the (Al-Fateh Al-Mubin) operations room.

According to state-run news agency, SANA, a mother, her two daughters, and their uncle were killed and the husband was wounded by the missiles. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a father, and mother, and two little girls were killed by the shelling of their home.

SANA added that the strike caused material damage to homes and property in the area which is controlled by government forces. The town of Uram al-Kubra witnessed artillery shelling between regime sources and factions of the Al-Fateh Al-Mubin Operations in the early hours of the morning. The area is a de-escalation zone subject to the ceasefire agreement of Turkey and Russia signed in March 2020.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the artillery shelling to the factions of the Al-Fateh Al Mubin Operations room, with Roz Press specifying that this is a Turkish-backed faction. A Facebook post by Vito Press specified that rocket-propelled grenades were used in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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
    Turkish Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by shelling of Tadil village on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by SANA)
  • Damage caused by shelling of Tadil village on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by SANA)
  • Damage caused by shelling of Tadil village on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by SANA)
  • Damage caused by shelling of Tadil village on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by SANA)
  • Damage caused by shelling of Tadil village on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by زين برس - Zein Press)
  • Munition from shelling of Tadil village on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by زين برس - Zein Press)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tadil (تديل), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.165062, 36.887472. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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
    Turkish Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4006

Incident date

August 11, 2019

Location

كفرنبل, Kafar Nabl, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

Five civilians from the same family were reported injured in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike or artillery shelling on Kafar Nabl, Idlib, on August 11th which was the first day of Eid Al-Adha.

While an initial report stated that one woman was injured in the airstrike, all later sources indicated that the figure had risen to five as an understanding of the event unfolded.

Blame by local sources was attributed to both Russia and the Syrian regime. For example, SMART News Agency stated that “the city of Kafar Nabl south of Idlib was raided by Russian warplanes targeting houses, wounding five civilians from one family, including two women and a child, who were taken to a nearby hospital.”

However, SY24 correspondent said that the Syrian regime forces stationed in Braideej camp in the northwestern countryside of Hama rained down the city of Kafr Nabl in the southern countryside of Idlib with mortar missiles and artillery shells, which led to severe material damage to citizens’ properties, without information about injuries.

According to @jisrtv, “Regime forces bombard with rocket launchers, the city of Kafr Nabl, south of Idlib”. The airstrike is also reported to have caused fires and destruction in the attacked location.

Most sources attributed blame to Russia for the airstrike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Tweet translation: Aerial photos show the extent of destruction in Kafar Nabil city of southern Idlib countryside due to being targeted by Russian warplanes by an airstrike.
  • Aerial photos show the extent of destruction in Kafar Nabil city of southern Idlib countryside due to being targeted by Russian warplanes by air strike" (via IdlibPlus)
  • Aerial photos show the extent of destruction in Kafar Nabil city of southern Idlib countryside due to being targeted by Russian warplanes by air strike" (via IdlibPlus)
  • An image showing the destruction in Kafar Nabil city of southern Idlib countryside due to being targeted by Russian warplanes by air strike" (via IdlibPlus)
  • The extent of destruction in Kafar Nabil city of southern Idlib countryside due to being targeted by Russian warplanes by air strike" (via IdlibPlus)
  • Caption translation: "Regime forces used cluster missiles to bomb the city of Kafr Nabl in the southern countryside of Idlib" (via @abdalazezketaz)
  • Caption translation: The shelling of the rocket launchers targets the city of Kafr Nabl, south of Idlib, while the town of Maarzita was subjected to air strikes by the warplanes.
  • An image capturing the bombing of Kafr Nabl by Russian or Syrian regime on August the 8th 2011 (via @NagiNajjar)

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
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI385

Incident date

January 2, 2017

Location

Mosul, Mushirfan, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on April 1st 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment on social media claims of civilian harm “near Mosul, Iraq”. According to the Coalition report, “(2.) Jan. 2, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.”

The Coalition shared the location of this assessed strike with Airwars. The location was stated as the Mushirfan neighbourhood in Mosul. This matches the location of a separate strike reported by Airwars (I320), also assessed as non-credible in the April 2017 civilian casualties report. Mushirfan is a general area in North West Mosul, Al Harmat a neighbourhood within it.

The strike was assessed as non credible based on the claim that “no Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.” However, the Coalition reported multiple strikes in Mosul that day.

No additional details are presently known.

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

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
    a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 1, 2017

  • No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For January 1st-2nd the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units; destroyed four mortars, five VBIEDs, a heavy machine gun, a vehicle, an ISIL-held building, a pontoon bridge, and three VBIED factories; disabled two bridges; damaged 31 supply routes; and suppressed six mortar teams.”

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS611

Incident date

July 15, 2023

Location

بلدة حارم, Harem town, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A man was injured when he was allegedly shot by Turkish border guards near Harem town on July 15, 2023.

North Press Agency reported that Turkish border guards shot and injured a 52 year old man named Riyad al-Kanou while he was checking on his land, which is adjacent to the Turkish border near the town of Harem. A local source told North Press that the Turkish border guards shot the man with several bullets, one of which hit his body, and that he was taken to Harem Hospital in critical condition.

No other sources were found reporting on this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Riyad al-Kanou رياض الكنو
52 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]