Civilian Casualty Archive

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Incident DatePublication Date
936 incidents

Incident Date

2–3 March, 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr026-C

Location

يكلا, Yakla, Al Bayda, Yemen
Multiple sources suggested that US airstrikes targeted alleged AQAP militants in al-Ghail village and in the broader Yakla area of Qaifa, Bayda governorate, overnight from March 2nd to March 3rd, killing at least three alleged militants. Some sources reported that there was an unspecified number of civilian casualties. Local sources reported that the overnight strikes…

Summary

Published
2 March 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
4
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 March 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr014

Location

مُحَافَظَة أبين, Abyan, Yemen
On March 2nd 2017, a US airstrike killed AQAP members Usayd al-Adani and Yasir al-Silmi in Abyan governorate, a US Pentagon spokesperson later announced - though other sources instead named the strike location as Qaifa, in Bayda governorate. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm. According to the Pentagon, al-Adani was "a longtime…

Summary

Published
2 March 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 March 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr015

Location

موجان, Mojan, Abyan, Yemen
Multiple sources reported that US forces were involved in a combined arms operation that took place at dawn on March 2nd 2017 in Mogan, al-Maraqisha directorate, Abyan governorate. The action was variously alleged to have included airstrikes, naval bombardment, and troop landings. Some sources claimed the operation was implemented in cooperation with Emirati special forces…

Summary

Published
2 March 2017
Strike Type
Naval bombardment, Airstrike (Drone Strike), Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Infrastructure
Education
Military actors reported killed
4–26
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 March 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr016

Location

حصن سعيد, Fort Saeed, Abyan, Yemen
Some sources reported that US forces were involved in a beach landing operation on Nakheela beach, on the al-Maraqisha coast, Abyan governorate, in the region of or near the village of Mogan, at dawn on March 2nd 2017.  This raid allegedly took place in tandem with a reported combined arms operation, with which the US…

Summary

Published
2 March 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Naval bombardment, Airstrike (Drone Strike), Artillery
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

1–2 March, 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr022

Location

جسيمة, Jasima, Al Bayda, Yemen
Multiple sources reported that US airstrikes targeted alleged AQAP militants in al-Jasima, in the Qaifa area of Bayda governorate, overnight from March 1st to March 2nd. Mareb Press reported that the strikes killed one and wounded another, apparently with reference to alleged militants. There were no known reports of civilian casualties. The reported strikes were…

Summary

Published
2 March 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

28 February 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr010

Location

مديرية الصومعة, Al Suma'a District, Al Bayda, Yemen
The Pentagon announced on March 6th 2017 that it had conducted an airstrike against AQAP in Yemen on February 28th, though no other sources could be found to verify this.  This appeared to have been the first action of a serious intensification of US strikes in Yemen through the first week of March 2017. Two…

Summary

Published
28 February 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

24 February 2017

Incident Code

USSOM069

Location

Hawina, north of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
Somali news outlet Mareeg reported a suspected drone strike on an al Shabaab controlled village. Mareeg reported an eyewitness as saying: “We heard several bomb explosion caused by drone airstrikes in Hawina village.” He added: “It is not clear how many people have been killed or wounded it is very difficult to know the real…

Summary

Published
24 February 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 February 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr009

Location

الخبر, Al Khabr, Abyan, Yemen
Several sources alleged that US battleships bombarded the area of Al Khabr in al-Maraqisha, Abyan governorate, on February 2nd 2017, where AQAP militants were allegedly based. There were no reported civilian or combatant casualties. One anonymous Yemeni government official, speaking to Reuters, said that “ships fired several missiles towards the al-Maraqisha mountains, where al Qaeda…

Summary

Published
2 February 2017
Strike Type
Naval bombardment
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

1 February 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr008

Location

موجان, Mojan, Abyan, Yemen
Some local language Twitter users alleged that US battleships bombarded the area of Mojan, al-Maraqisha, Abyan province early on February 1st 2017, where AQAP militants were allegedly based.  One source claimed that fisherman in the Shaqra area spotted American battleships approaching from the coast.  There were no known reports of civilian or combatant casualties. Other…

Summary

Published
1 February 2017
Strike Type
Naval bombardment
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

30 January 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr007

Location

بيحان, Baihan, Shabwa, Yemen
A suspected US drone strike against a car killed two AQAP members in Baihan, Shabwa province on the morning of January 30th 2017, multiple sources reported.  There were no known associated reports of civilian harm. According to news agencies, Yemeni officials suggested that a US drone had targeted the car in the Baihan region, on…

Summary

Published
30 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

29 January 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr006-C

Location

الغيل, al Ghayil, Yakla, Al Bayda, Yemen
At least 15 civilians, including at least 10 children and four women, were reportedly killed in a US Navy special forces operation in al-Ghayil village, Yakla region of Bayda province - though the reported civilian toll varied considerably. The US military has to date conceded 12 deaths. A force of US Navy SEALs engaged in…

Summary

Published
29 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
15–56
Civilians reported injured
5–7
Military actors reported killed
4–42
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

26 January 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr005

Location

الحرج, Al Haraj, Shabwa, Yemen
A US airstrike reportedly killed three alleged AQAP militants, "including a leader", in the Al Haraj area of Jardan district, in Shabwa governorate, according to various sources. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm. Critical Threats, for example, asserted that "A reported U.S. airstrike killed three al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)…

Summary

Published
26 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

22 January 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr004

Location

مديرية الصومعة, al Sama'a, Al Bayda, Yemen
A number of reports indicated that a US drone strike on January 22nd had killed one AQAP member in Bayda province. There were no known associated reported civilian casualties. Reuters reported that a strike against a car in al-Sama'a district had resulted in the death of one suspected AQAP member, based on official and local…

Summary

Published
22 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

21 January 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr003

Location

مديرية الصومعة, Al Suma'a, Al Bayda, Yemen
On January 25th 2017,  a US spokesperson stated that a strike in al-Bayda governorate on January 21st had killed three "AQAP operatives".  This confirmed reports that a drone strike had targeted a vehicle in Suma'a district on that evening.  There were no known reports of civilian casualties. A number of public sources had earlier reported…

Summary

Published
21 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
3–7
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

21 January 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr002

Location

مديرية الصومعة, Al Sama'a, Al Bayda, Yemen
There were some unconfirmed reports of a January 21st US drone strike in Sama'a, al-Bayda province, killing up to three alleged AQAP militants. The strike was reported to have occurred in the same general area as a second, confirmed strike on the same day. All but one source said that three militants had died in…

Summary

Published
21 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
3–4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

20 January 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr001

Location

مديرية الصومعة, Al Suma'a, Al Bayda, Yemen
On January 25th 2017, a US spokesperson confirmed that a strike took place in al-Bayda governorate on January 20th, killing one AQAP operative.  This confirmed reports that a US drone strike in al-Suma'a district, Bayda governorate, killed at least one alleged AQAP militant on that afternoon. There were no known reports of civilian harm.  January…

Summary

Published
20 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

7 January 2017

Incident Code

USSOM068

Location

Gaduud, Lower Juba, Somalia
In the last declared Somalia strike of Barack Obama's presidency, the US conducted a “self-defence strike” against al Shabaab on January 7th, according to a US Africa Command press release published on January 10th. The strike was conducted “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, Somali partner forces, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)…

Summary

Published
7 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 December 2016

Incident Code

LC052

Location

Giza, Surt, Libya
Campaign overview: The United States began a major air campaign in support of and at the request of GNA ground forces, to oust ISIS from the city of Sirte. Complete official records of the US campaign at Sirte – which saw 497 airstrikes on the city to December 5th 2016 – can be found here.…

Summary

Published
5 December 2016
Civilians reported killed
30–50
Civilians reported injured
63
Military Actor
U.S. Forces, Government of National Accord
View Incident

Incident Date

5–6 December, 2016

Incident Code

USSOM067

Location

Omar Beere/Ibrahim Ali Berre camp near Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Two media organisations reported a possible US air operation targeting an al Shabaab base in the Lower Shabelle region. Dalsan Radio reported that Somali commandos backed by US Special Forces had attacked al Shabaab bases in Omar Berre in Lower Shabelle overnight using helicopters. It also quoted what it said was an eyewitness: "'We heard several…

Summary

Published
6 December 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 December 2016

Incident Code

LC051

Location

سرت‎, Sirte, Surt, Libya
On December 2nd, Mohamed Lajnef posted pictures of two injured children on Facebook, saying they had been liberated from ISIS. On December 5th Libya’s Channel reported Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous rescued over a hundred children and women from ISIS, some of the children severely injured. It showed pictures of two children: one is the same depicted in…

Summary

Published
2 December 2016
Civilians reported injured
0–2
Military Actor
Government of National Accord, U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

28 October 2016

Incident Code

LQ037

Location

سرت‎, Sirte, Surt, Libya
Libya’s Channel and Libya Akhbar reported on October 28th that ISIS was using civilians as human shields and that the evacuation of civilians was causing delay to the GNA campaign. The outlets both referred to Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous spokesman Rida Issa: “A member of the media centre of the Chamber of Operation, Rida Issa, said that…

Summary

Published
28 October 2016
Military Actor
U.S. Forces, Government of National Accord
View Incident

Incident Date

24 October 2016

Incident Code

LC047

Location

الجيزة, Giza, Surt, Libya
The US conducted four airstrikes in the Giza neighbourhood in Sirte. One source on Facebook mentioned that Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous soldiers found seven dead bodies of civilians in a house. The bodies were apparently charred. According to Madridi Aween, “Our rebels found a number of bodies in several houses in the camp during a search by the…

Summary

Published
24 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
0–7
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

20 October 2016

Incident Code

LC046

Location

الجيزة, Giza, Surt, Libya
On October 21st Ahmed El Sharkawy claimed that the bodies of children and women were trapped under rubble in Giza but didn’t say what the reason for the destruction was. No additional details are presently known.

Summary

Published
20 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
4–6
Military Actor
U.S. Forces, Government of National Accord
View Incident

Incident Date

12 October 2016

Incident Code

LC044

Location

Vicinity of Water Tower, Surt, Libya
According to several sources on Twitter, at least two civilians died in a US airstrike in the morning in Sirte, one of them a child. The sources did not give clear estimates on casualties, though the pictures show two people most likely dead. Two more injured children can be spotted in the images. One source…

Summary

Published
12 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

28 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM066-C

Location

Jehdin, 30 km east of Galkayo, Mudug, Somalia
A US  drone strike on September 28th killed at least ten members of a local friendly militia and not al Shabaab militants as the US had initially believed, according to local communities and an investigation by the Washington Post. Between three and 16 additional members of the Galmadug militia were injured. At least one source,…

Summary

Published
28 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
0–12
Military actors reported killed
10–22
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

26 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM065

Location

Caba, Lower Juba, Somalia
The US reported in a press release published on September 27th that it had conducted a “self-defence strike” in Caba near Kismayo the previous day, killing four al Shabaab fighters . The press release said that a group of armed al Shabaab fighters attacked the Somali force and their US advisors. The Somali forces returned…

Summary

Published
26 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
4–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM064

Location

سااكوو, Saakow, Middle Juba, Somalia
According to a Freedom of Information response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in  May 2019, this previously unknown confirmed US strike took place in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia against an unspecified "al-Shabaab Named Objective". This incident was not previously publicly known. No further details are currently available.

Summary

Published
10 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM062

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US reported two days after the event that it had conducted two “self-defence strikes” on September 5th against al Shabaab, killing four militants. According to an AFRICOM press release, the strikes hit near Tortoroow and were conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia after a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation came under attack. Garowe…

Summary

Published
5 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM063

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US reported two days after the event that it had conducted two “self-defence strikes” on September 5th against al Shabaab, killing four militants in total. According to an AFRICOM press release, the strikes hit near Tortoroow and were conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia after a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation came under…

Summary

Published
5 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

30 August 2016

Incident Code

USSOM061

Location

Gobanle, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US reported that it had conducted a “self-defense strike” against al Shabaab in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia in a press release published on September 7th. It said the strike hit near Gobanale and had resulted in the deaths of two al Shabaab militants. The press release reported that during a Somali-led…

Summary

Published
30 August 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident