Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

SDF00023

Incident date

September 4, 2023

Location

بلدة الحوايج, Al Hawaij, Deir Ezor, Syria

Airwars assessment

Multiple civilians — including a family — were injured in Al Hawaij, Deir Ezor after an alleged strike by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on September 4, 2023.

Various local media outlets reported that civilian casualties resulted from the attack, but the number of wounded or dead was not specified. A family was injured after a rocket-propelled grenade destroyed their home, @DeirEzzor24 reported.

Sources were conflicted as to whether the casualties were caused by drones, mortar shells, and/or rocket-propelled grenades. The strikes reportedly occurred amid clashes between the SDF and local militias.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or 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

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mortar shells from the SDF militia fell on the town of Al-Hawaij, adjacent to the town of Dhiban, as battles intensified on its outskirts with the tribal forces in the countryside of #Deir_ez-Zor.

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or 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

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00027

Incident date

September 5, 2023

Location

المعابر النهرية في بلدتي ذي والحوايج, River crossings in the towns of Dhiban and Hawaij, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

A number of civilians were reportedly killed and injured while escaping from bombings in the towns of Dhiban and Hawaij, in the eastern countryside near Deir Ezzor, when nearby river crossings, that are used as humanitarian corridors, were allegedly struck by mortar shells on Tuesday, September 5th 2023.

All available sources claimed that the Syrian Democratic Forces carried out the shelling and Jesr Press added that the tribal forces were able to repel the attack. No sources reported how many civilians were killed or injured.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Humanitarian evacuation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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
    Tribal Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mortar fire near the river crossings in the towns of Dhiban and Hawaij on September 5, 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 infrastructure
    Humanitarian evacuation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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
    Tribal Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00028

Incident date

September 5, 2023

Location

العزبة, Al Azzba, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one person, a young male civilian who had been riding a motorcycle, was injured in the area of Al Izbah, north-east of Deir Ezzor when he was allegedly struck by a Syrian Democratic Forces sniper on Tuesday, September 5th 2023. According to a number of sources, when local residents tried to help him, they were also reportedly attacked by the sniper.

Naher Media reported that the man had been out after the SDF imposed curfew buying food for his children when the incident happened.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • 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
    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 (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by alleged SDF sniper fire in Al Azzba on September 5, 2023. (Image posted by @ralshhwan9)

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00030

Incident date

September 6, 2023

Location

الطيانة, residential neighborhoods in the town of Al Tayana, east of Deir Ezzor, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at least one man named Abu Adham was injured by the mortar shelling of residential neignorhoods in the town of Al Tayana, east of Deir Ezzor, allegedly perpetrated by SDF or PYD militia. As reported by Al-Khabour correspondent, the injured man was displaced from the city of Al-Mayadeen.

Most local sources, including Deir Ezzor Radyo, mentioned that shelling resulted in the injuries of civilians. Abomosaab Sharkea media emphasized that there were not killed civialians, only wounded ones.

Where sources identified the belligerent, most of the sources attributed the strike to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia. According to the Facebook post by Alhadath, the shelling was carried out by SDF militias stationed on the outskirts of the town of Dhiban. Al-Khabour media and Twitter/X user @Aboody_hat indicated that shelling came from PYD/PKK militia, but both belligerents are a part of Kurdish militia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abu Adham أبو أدهم
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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

Sources (11) [ 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
    1–2
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00029

Incident date

September 6, 2023

Location

قرب الصرف الصحي الفاصل بين الطيانة وذيبان, near the sewer pipe between Al Thayana and Dhiban, east of Deir Ezzor, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, a child was injured by the bullets allegedly coming from an SDF checkpoint near the sewer pipe separating the towns of Al-Tayana and Dhiban, east of Deir Ezzor. The incident was reported by multiple local sources indicating that the child was from the town of Al-Tayana.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the shooting to Syrian Democratic Forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • 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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (7) [ 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00031

Incident date

September 7, 2023

Location

مخيم برشايا قرب بلدة قباسين, Barshaya camp near the town of Qabasin, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On 7 September 2023, a male civilian was reportedly killed and at least one civilian, a child, was injured by artillery shelling from areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian regime in the Barshaya camp for displaced people located near the town of Qabasin.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, 36 year-old Abdul Sattar Muhammad al-Issa was killed by the shelling and his body was taken to Al-Bab City Hospital. Simultaneously, a news report from the Syrian Civil Defense (SCD) identified the young child to be the nephew of the young man who was killed, who was given medical treatment at the scene by civilians.

A series of tweets from the local area identify the injured child to be the son of Abdul Sattar Muhammad al-Issa. This includes a tweet from @qipqa identifying the child’s name as Karmo while Qasioun News provided the name of the child as Abdul Sattar. However, news reports from the following day, 8 September, from Rasd Syria identified the child to be the nephew of Abdul. According to @HalabTodayTV, “several civilians” were injured by the shelling.

The incident is part of major destruction to the displacement camp from artillery shelling, with @SN4HR named the camp as “Haso camp.”

The majority of sources referred to the shelling as coming from areas controlled by the SDF and the Syrian regime. However, sources such as @OrientNews directly attributed the civilian casualties to the SDF.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abdul Sattar Muhammad al-Issa
36 years old male killed
Abdul Sattar Karmo
Child male Son or nephew of Abdul Sattar Muhammad al-Issa injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Blood from victims of alleged SDF shelling of Barshaya camp near the town of Qabasin on September 7, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage from alleged SDF shelling of Barshaya camp near the town of Qabasin on September 7, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage from alleged SDF shelling of Barshaya camp near the town of Qabasin on September 7, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage from alleged SDF shelling of Barshaya camp near the town of Qabasin on September 7, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • 36 year-old Abdul Sattar Muhammad al-Issa, killed by alleged SDF shelling of Barshaya camp near the town of Qabasin on September 7, 2023. (Image posted by @SN4HR)

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 infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00032

Incident date

September 7, 2023

Location

قرية المحسنلي بريف منبج, village of Al-Mohsenli, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On 7th September 2023, one civilian was killed and up to five others were injured by a reported missile strike by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the village of Al-Mohsenli in the Manbij countryside.

An initial Twitter post of the event, from user @Step_agency, identified four civilian injuries from the strike. Simultaneously, a tweet from @RadioAlKul reported one civilian death and one civilian injury.

However as further details have emerged it has been widely reported by a series of tweets and Facebook posts, including a tweet from @HalabTodayTV and a post by Syrtelevision, that one civilian was killed and five others were injured from the missile strike.

All reporting on the incident indicates that the Syrian Democratic Forces were responsible for the missile strike with no further details on the civilians harmed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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 (15) [ 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
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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 (15) [ 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]