Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

YS031

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

عفرين, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.511389, 36.864167

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were wounded in the city of Afrin, Aleppo governorate, by alleged SDF shelling, according to local media.

Al Araby said: “Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militias bombed the city of Afrin in the northern countryside of Aleppo, resulting in two civilian casualties.”

Further information is not available to Airwars at this moment.

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
    Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces 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
    Syrian Democratic Forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS063

Incident date

October 22, 2019

Location

قرية الجلبة, Al Jalba village , Al Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.691324, 38.951283 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one woman was killed and another woman injured in an alleged YPG/SDF/PKK artillery attack on the village of Al Jalaba, west of Tal Abyad, on October 22nd, 2019, according to local sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “Mrs. Zalkha Hamad al Abbou, from Ein al Arous village which is administratively a part of Tal Abyad city in the northern suburbs of Raqqa governorate, was killed as Syrian Democratic forces artillery fired a mortar shell on Al Jalaba village in the northern suburbs of Raqqa governorate, on October 22, 2019”. Suriye.u.a.d also reported the injury of Sanaa Khalaf Al-Jassem.

@AlhadathAlfurai reported that two children and one woman died, and four others were wounded. The other sources do not mention children being killed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown female from Ein al Arous killed
Age unknown female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (0–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–4
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Jalaba (الجلبة), allegedly located west of the city of Tal Abyad (تل ابيض). The generic coordinates for Tal Abyad are: 36.691324, 38.951283. 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
    1 – 3
  • (0–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–4
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS095

Incident date

September 4, 2020

Location

العلوة , Alawa, Raqqa, Syria

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that three civilians were injured in alleged YPG strikes on Alawa village, Raqqa governorate, on September 4th, 2020.

Khabour wrote that “three civilians were injured by the bombing of the #PYD_PKK militia on Alawa village west of Tel Abid city, north of Raqqa.”

Currently, further information is unavailable to Airwars.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (1) [ collapse]

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS118

Incident date

October 11, 2021

Location

الدايس, Al Dabes, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.703611, 37.956944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians, including up to two women, were killed and between two and nine others, including two women and a child, were injured in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces shelling or missile strikes on the village of Al Dabes on October 11, 2021.

The Aleppo correspondent for @HalabTodayTV reported that a civilian was killed and two others were injured when Syrian Democratic Forces launched vacuum missiles at the village of Al Dabes. This was the lowest toll provided by local sources.

According to the Syrian Civil Defense (SCD), a man and a woman were killed and six civilians, including a child and two women, were injured from an explosion in their house. SCD later reported that the death roll rose to three after the volunteer teams pulled out the body of a woman.

One of the civilians injured in the explosion was Nayef, who is under a year old and whose father was killed in the same incident. White Helmet volunteers pulled him out from under the rubble of his home, which was destroyed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also identified similar casualty numbers from an explosion in a house, adding that they think the explosion was due to an IED.

A tweet from @khalediskef, a journalist for Almayadeen News, reported that nine people, including women and children, were injured in the incident, according to the “armed coordination”. Zaman Al Wasl added that some of the civilians injured were in critical condition.

Sources were conflicted as to the origin of the strikes, with the Syrian Civil Defense referring to “an explosion of an unknown source” in regards to this incident while Orient News attributed the civilian casualties to “vacuum missile sourced from the SDF militia near the Sajur River”. Local sources also told Zaman Al Wasl that the explosion could’ve been caused by heavy artillery shelling launched by the “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF) and that it was possible that the shell that targeted the house was a Russian-made “Krasnopol” due to the extent of the damage.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Under 1 year old years old injured
male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–9
  • 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 attackers
    Syrian Democratic Forces, Unknown

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • White Helmet volunteers search for injured civilians following an explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • White Helmet volunteers search for injured civilians following an explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Rubble from the explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Rubble from the explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Rubble from the explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by @NowLebanon2)
  • White Helmet volunteers rescue a civilian injured in an explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by @alkhattabirw)
  • Destruction to a civilian home caused by an explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Firat Haber Ajansi)
  • Destruction to a civilian home caused by an explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Firat Haber Ajansi)
  • Destruction to a civilian home and their possessions caused by an explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Firat Haber Ajansi)
  • Destruction to a civilian home and their possessions caused by an explosion in Al Dabes village on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Firat Haber Ajansi)
  • Nayef, a child under a year old who was injured in the explosion and pulled out of the rubble on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Dabes (الدايس), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.703611, 37.956944. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–9
  • 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 attackers
    Syrian Democratic Forces, Unknown

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS147

Incident date

August 4, 2022

Location

اعزاز, Azaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.585505, 37.046784 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians, including a child and a woman, from the same family, were injured on August 4th 2022, when missile strikes hit a residential neighbourhood in the city of Azaz, north of Aleppo as a result of contested Syrian regime forces or Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) action.

@Almohar1 tweeted that three civilians were injured and their names were:

Abdul-Jabbar Muhammad al-Musa
Mohamed Abdel-Jabbar Al-Mousa
Yasmine Abdel-Jabbar Al-Musa (a child)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that three civilians were injured. The Syrian Civil Defense force said that they transported the injured to the hospital.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Abdul-Jabbar Muhammad Al-Musa
Adult male injured
Mohamed Abdel-Jabbar Al-Mousa
male injured
Yasmine Abdel-Jabbar Al-Musa
Child female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or 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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, YPG

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Up to four civilians were injured as a result of Syrian regime or SDF missile fire which hit the town of Azaz on August 4th 2022 (Image via @SyriaCivilDef / Twitter)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    @Almohar1 reported that three civilians were injured as a result of missile shelling in Azaz on August 4th 2022 (Image via Twitter)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    @Almohar1 reported that three civilians were injured as a result of missile shelling in Azaz on August 4th 2022 (Image via Twitter)
  • @Almohar1 reported that three civilians were injured as a result of missile shelling in Azaz on August 4th 2022 (Image via Twitter)
  • Three to four civilians were reported injured as a result of missile shelling in Azaz on August 4th 2022 (Image via @zelal_katee / Twitter)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Azaz (اعزاز), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.585505, 37.046784. 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

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG 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
    3–4
  • 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, YPG

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00012

Incident date

August 31–September 1, 2023

Location

ذيبان, Thiban, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

A young child was seriously wounded when alleged-SDF mortar shells struck the town of Thiban, in the countryside of Deir Ezzor on August 31st or September 1st, 2023.

Euphrates Post, who described the child as an infant, claimed the injury occurred when shells hit the child’s home. Multiple sources corroborate the SDF as the perpetrators, with Kabeltalbker Post and local reporters (@syrdrr1, @OmarAbdulaziz82) stating the shelling was “indiscriminate.”

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
    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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic image of a young child injured by alleged SDF shelling of Thiban on August 31/September 1, 2023. (Image posted by @nahermedia)

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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00043a

Incident date

September 25, 2023

Location

الحوايج, Al Hawayj, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

A woman, Shahnaz Ayed al-Hussein al-Sayyid Haiba, was killed allegedly by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on September 25th, 2023 in Al Hawayj, in eastern Deir Ezzor.

Local reporter Abdulmuain Aldandal claimed she was killed by shell fragments while trying to escape with her children. Another local source (@DeirEzzor24) also stated the casualty was caused by mortar shelling, and claimed the shell fell near her home.

There is, however, some disagreement regarding the weaponry used. Another local source, Zaman Al Wasl, alleged she was killed by SDF snipers, who had “deliberately targeted” her.

This incident is a potential duplicate of incident SDF00043, or has a potential link to it. At the time of reporting, there was not enough information to clarify whether these casualties occurred together.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Shahnaz Ayed Al-Hussein Al-Sayyid Haiba
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, 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 (5) [ collapse]

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
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS041

Incident date

October 11, 2019

Location

Nusaybin, Turkey

Geolocation

37.07748, 41.216555 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eight civilians were killed and 35 were wounded in alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the city of Nusaybin, Mardin, as reported by several local sources.

@op_shield initially reported five killed, but all other sources noted the death of eight civilians. According to CNN Turkey, the governor of Nusaybin, a Kurdish majority city, released a statement in which he blamed the YPG and/or PKK for shooting mortar and rocket projectiles into the city.

HASAKHNNEWS reported on Facebook that the shelling on Nusaybin came from YGP militias in the Syrian city of Qamlishi.

The wounded were treated in the Nusaybin and Mardin state hospitals, according to CNN Turkey.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male father of journalist journalist Gülay Demir killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    35
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via @op_shield).
  • Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via @ragipsoylu).
  • Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via @ragipsoylu).
  • Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via CNN Turkey).
  • Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via CNN Turkey).
  • Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via CNN Turkey).
  • Footage of the aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via @aa_arabic).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via @aa_arabic).
  • Aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via @aa_arabic).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of the aftermath of alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (via @Dmkt1).
  • TRT World report on alleged SDF/YPG or PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019 (SelimAtalayNY).
  • Mehmet Sirin Demir, who was killed in alleged YPG/PKK artillery strikes on the Turkish city of Nusaybin on October 11th 2019. Here pictured with his daughter, journalist Gülay Demir (via @eha_news).

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
    5 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    35
  • 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]