Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

YS133

Incident date

Location

الحولنجي جنوب جرابلس, Al Huwlanji south of Jarablus, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.651944, 37.909722 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child, Abdul Razzaq Muhammad, aged 9, was injured on May 29th 2022 when the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were reported to target a civilian car with a guided missile, in the Al-Halwanji area, south of the city of Jarabulus, Syria, according to local sources.

Abdul Rassaq Muhammad was taken to hospital in Jarabulus.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Abdul Rassaq Muhammad
9 years old male

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    YPG

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • One child was injured when a reported Syrian Democratic Forces missile hit a civilian car on May 29th 2022 near Jarabulus, Syria (Image via Syran Civil Defense / Facebook)
  • One child was injured when a reported Syrian Democratic Forces missile hit a civilian car on May 29th 2022 near Jarabulus, Syria (Image via @free_sy-news / Twitter)
  • One child was injured when a reported Syrian Democratic Forces missile hit a civilian car on May 29th 2022 near Jarabulus, Syria (Image via @Sharqya_reporte / Twitter)
  • A car was targeted reportedly by SDF outside of Jarabulus on May 29th 2022, injuring one child (Image via @77Mikiy / Twitter)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the outskirts of the village of Al Huwlanji (الحلوانجي), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.651944, 37.909722. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    YPG

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS167

Incident date

July 7, 2023

Location

قرية الكفير, Kefir Village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Friday July 7th, 2023 [al-kafir] Kefir village, in the city of al-Bab in the Aleppo Governorate, Syria was reportedly shelled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The strike caused injuries to at least two civilians.

News outlets such as Albadia24 and a journalist on the ground Muhannad corroborated these versions of events and further claimed that the missile strike by the SDF was directed at the Turkish base in the village

News outlets @HalabTodayTV and @SharqyaReporte both reported via Twitter the civilian harm caused by the subsequent shelling: two people were injured in the missile strike by the SDF. The other sources that reported on the incident only mentioned injuries to civilians without specifying how many.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to the SDF, with sources specifying that the shelling came from areas controlled by the SDF.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    YPG
  • Suspected target
    Turkish Forces

Sources (10) [ collapse]

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    YPG
  • Suspected target
    Turkish Forces

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00033

Incident date

September 8, 2023

Location

عرب ويران, the village of Arab Wiran, east of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Friday, September 8, 2023, a civilian was injured as a result of artillery shelling of the village of Arab Wiran, east of Aleppo, allegedly perpetrated by Syrian regime forces and/or SDF militia.

The Syrian Civil Defense reported that the shelling came from areas under the joint control of the regime forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Civil Defense team inspected the places affected by the bombing to check the conditions of civilians and tweeted the image showing the aftermath of the attack.

According to Orient news’s correspondent Muhannad Al-Ali, the artillery shelling was carried out by Syrian regime forces, while Shaam news alleged that it was perpertrated by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Since the sources identified different belligerents as being responsible for the strike, Airwars has classified both Strike Status and Civilian Harm Status as Contested.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 attacker
    YPG

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 attacker
    YPG

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS040

Incident date

October 11, 2019

Location

سروج , Suruç, Şanlıurfa, Turkey

Geolocation

36.97537, 38.424276 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians – reportedly children – were reported killed, and up to three others injured in an alleged YPG artillery attack on Suruç in Turkey on October 11th, 2019, according to media sources.

According to CNN Turk, a mortar hit a house in Suruç and as a result, three people lost their lives and one person was injured. Additionally, three mortar rounds fell into the empty land in the district. @aa _arabic later also reported 3 killed.

@haskologlu said that two children died, while  @FakhreddinPasa put the number at three.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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
    YPG

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the district of Suruç (سروج ), in Şanlıurfa (الرها،) province. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Suruç are: 36.97537, 38.424276.  

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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
    YPG

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS077

Incident date

November 27, 2019

Location

اعزاز, Azaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.585559, 37.051789 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three or four civilians including two women were reportedly wounded by alleged YPG artillery attacks in southern neighbourhoods of Azaz city, Aleppo governorate, on November 27th, 2019, according to local sources.

The Euphrates Post reported that “the YPG targeted the southern neighbourhoods of Azaz with more than six rocket-propelled grenades shortly before, wounding three civilians”. @ShahbaPress later wrote that four civilians, including a girl and an elderly woman, were injured in the attack.

Smart News Agency reported that “a source in the military police in the city said in a special statement to “Smart”, that four civilians, including two women were injured in an initial toll, as a result of the bombing of “SDF” rocket launchers on the residential neighbourhoods in the city of Azaz, from their positions at the Meng military airport, where civil defence teams worked to help them to Azaz Al Ahli Hospital”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Samia Hamidi
50 years old female injured
Hazem Sultan
18 years old male injured
Tayma' Sultan
18 years old female injured
Mohammed Kurdiya
35 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    YPG

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Destruction caused by shelling on Azaz (via @MohmdKerndl)
  • Names of the four civilians who got injured in alleged YPG shelling on Azaz (via Our Syria).
  • One of four civilians reported injured in alleged YPG shelling on Azaz (via Our Syria).
  • One of four civilians reported injured in alleged YPG shelling on Azaz (via Our Syria).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Azaz (اعزاز), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.585559, 37.051789. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    YPG

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS114

Incident date

August 18–19, 2021

Location

الكريدية, Al Karidiya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.427060, 37.671859 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians, including a girl and a woman, were killed and up to seven members of their family, including two women and a child, were injured in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces or regime strikes on Al Karidiya on August 18/19, 2021.

The Syrian Civil Defense reported about “the killing of a woman, and the injury of 5 civilians, including two women and a child, by a missile attack in the middle of the night, originating from the areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the regime forces”.

A tweet from @MasarPressNet, in addition to the majority of other sources, identified that the civilian that was killed was a girl rather than a woman and that the civilians that were injured were all from one family and sustained their injuries in their home, which was struck in the shelling. However, a post from Mohammad Ward reported that both a woman and a girl were killed, “the death of a woman succumbed to her injuries and a girl of no more than ten years of age”.

Saleh Al Asmar posted the name of the girl killed: Aya Adnan Al-Hamidi. Syrian Network for Human Rights identified Aya as being 13 years old.

@baznewz put the number of civilians injured in the bombing at seven and @YusufAd76532779 identified most of those injured as being children. An image posted by Saleh Al Asmar shows a man who sustained injuries in the shelling.

Sources were conflicted as to whether the SDF or the regime were responsible for the strikes, with some sources identified the area that the strikes originated from as being controlled by both the SDF and the regime.

The incident occured around midnight.

The victims were named as:

Aya Adnan Al-Hamidi اية عدنان الحميدي
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A man injured in the shelling of Al Karidiya on August 18/19. 2021. (Image posted by Saleh Al Asmar via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Karidiya (الكريدية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.427060, 37.671859. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4454 YS145

Incident date

July 30, 2022

Location

كفرتعال, Kafr Taal, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.152222, 36.893333

Airwars assessment

Two children were killed and up to two others were injured in artillery shelling allegedly carried out by Russian forces, the Syrian regime, or the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The Syrian Civil Defense tweeted (@SyriaCivilDefe) that two children, Youssef and Abdul Baset Jadoua, were killed and the father of Youssef, named Mustafa Jamil Jadoua, and Ahmed Naji Doreesh were injured, one of them seriously, when Syrian regime and Russian forces shelled the village of Kafr Taal. Civil Defense volunteers inspected the location of the bombing and transferred the injured civilians to hospitals. A tweet and image posted by the Civil Defense indicated that the victims were drinking tea together when the shelling happened.

@anasanas84 also reported that two children were killed but identified only one “young man” as being injured in the shelling.

According to the correspondent of “Zaytoun Agency” in Aleppo countryside, residential neighborhoods of Kafr Taal were struck with three artillery shells. Shaam news added that the shelling occurred on a public street in the center of the town.

A video posted by @77Mikiy is said to show the mother of one of the victims saying goodbye to her child who was killed in the shelling.

The majority of sources, including Shaam News and @OrientNews, attributed the shelling to the Syrian regime while the Syrian Civil Defense blamed both the Syrian regime and Russian forces while Al Souria news stated that the Syrian regime and the Syrian Democratic Forces were responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Youssef Jadoua يوسف جدوع
Child killed
Abdul Baset Jadoua عبدالباسط جدوع
Child killed
Mustafa Jamil Jadoua مصطفى جميل جدوع
Adult male Father of Youssef injured

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Naji Doreesh أحمد ناجي دوريش
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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, YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • Civil Defense volunteer inspects the site of blood of one of the victims of shelling of Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Blood of one of the victims of shelling of Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteer inspects the site of shelling of Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteer evacuates one of the victims of shelling of Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • According to the Syrian Civil Defense, civilians were killed while drinking tea by shelling on Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted on Twitter)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of one of the children killed in shelling on Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense via Twitter)
  • Civil Defense volunteer inspects the site of blood of one of the victims of shelling of Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video from the Kafr Taal massacre, which was committed by the Assad terrorist militia today, "The mother, her child and the last farewell" #Kafr_Tal_massacre #Alepp

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic images of the victims of shelling on Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @thawra_sy4)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Survivors recount their testimonies to Orient... Victims, including children, in shelling by Assad militia on Kafr Taal village, west of Aleppo

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic image of one of the children killed in shelling on Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @ahmads2021)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic image of one of the children killed in shelling on Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @Hanzpal2)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of one of the victims of shelling on Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @tw67462611)
  • One of the victims of shelling on Kafr Taal on July 30, 2022. (Image posted by @ezaldeen_98)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kafr Taal (كفرتعال), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.152222, 36.893333. 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

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG 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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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, YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF0010

Incident date

August 30, 2023

Location

الشحيل, al-Shahil, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

On August 30, 2023, two civilians were allegedly killed by members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) operating in al-Shahil, a town in eastern Syria. The two civilian deaths occurred while the SDF was clashing with tribal fighters in the countryside of Deir Ezzor.

One of the two civilians killed was Awad Al-Habil al-Jakhani, per reporting by al-Sharquia 24 News, DeirEzzor24 News, Sharquia Voice, and multiple independent journalists. According to a report by Nashit News, al-Jakhani was unarmed.

The other civilian who was killed has not been identified.

According to the Euphrates Post, the Syrian Democratic Forces offered an official statement, in which they acknowledged the civilian casualties and expressed regret for the incident. The SDF statement included a pledge for the investigation, prosecution, and punishment of all responsible parties. However, Airwars has been unable to find the official statement.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Awad Al-Habil al-Jakhani عواد الهبيل الجخاني
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Armed clashes between tribesmen and #SDF militias in the town of Al-Shuhail in the countryside of #Deir_ez-Zor. The clashes led to the killing of a civilian by SDF bullets and the wounding of others.

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (11) [ collapse]