Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

RS3557

Incident date

September 9, 2018

Location

الصياد, Al Sayyad, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.398548, 36.619513 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were reportedly wounded by alleged Russian air or artillery strikes on the village of Al Sayyad, Hama governorate, on September 9th, 2018, according to Shaam News Network.

Shaam News Network reported “a number of wounded in the city of Latamina and the villages of Hassraya, Al Sayyad and Al Zakat”, as the result of Russian air and artillery shelling. SNN did not specify how many civilians were injured in Al Sayyad.

No other sources reported on this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

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

TS522

Incident date

June 29, 2022

Location

حسن عرب, Arab Hassan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.649700, 37.848123 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians, children, were killed in alleged Turkish airstrikes/artillery strikes on Arab Hassan village in northern Manbij countryside on June 29, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, two civilians were killed when Turkish forces shelled the outskirts of Arab Hassan village in northern Manbij countryside.

Manbij Media Center reported that the two civilians killed were children and that the strikes were carried out at 3:30 in the afternoon and included guided missiles. Manbij Media Center also provided the names of the children killed: Muhammad Abd al-Latif, born in 2009, and the second child was Ahmed Fouad Hajj Hussein, born in 2010, both of whom were cousins ​​from the same village.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkish forces and Alghad TV mentioned that artillery shells were used in the incident.

The incident occured at 15:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Muhammad Abd al-Latif محمد عبد اللطيف
13 years old killed
Ahmed Fouad Hajj Hussein أحمد فؤاد حج حسين
12 years old killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Remnants of an alleged Turkish shell that hit the village of Arab Hassan on June 29, 2022. (Image posted by Manbij Media Center)
  • Remnants of an alleged Turkish shell that hit the village of Arab Hassan on June 29, 2022. (Image posted by Manbij Media Center)
  • Remnants of an alleged Turkish shell that hit the village of Arab Hassan on June 29, 2022. (Image posted by Manbij Media Center)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Arab Hassan (حسن عرب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.649700, 37.848123. 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
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC431

Incident date

July 22, 2022

Location

مشروع الموز, Mashrou’ Al Muz, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.841729, 13.273353 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that a woman and her two children were killed and the father was injured in shelling during clashes in Mashrou’ Al Muz in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. One source asserted that this news was not true.

@tkyroogklshytk tweeted that a family near Mashrou’ Al Muz was killed due to shelling of their home, and later added that the “family of Abdul Hakim… in the village of Al-Gheraisah Mashrou’ Al Muz, a man, his wife and two daughters, and a shell fell on the family”. @taqarifatnews also tweeted about the death of a family, without providing specific details.

Emergency Medicine and Support Center posted on Facebook that the news of shelling of Mr. Mohamed Al-Muzoghi’s house and the death of his wife and children was “incorrect”.

However, a Facebook post from Libya Al Ahrar quoting the spokesman for the Emergency and Ambulance Service Osama Ali stated that “a woman and her two children were killed and their father was injured this morning as a result of the Tripoli clashes”. @AhmedElmadni added that the father was in intensive care.

Libya Al Ahrar reported that more than 20 families were evacuated from the Mashrou’ Al Muz area and @wady_dynar tweeted that a fire had erupted as a result of the shelling.

@gGY33TX9eprjsHt tweeted the names of the mother, Naima Mesbah Al-Qamoudi, and her children, Reem Muhammad Al-Mazoughi and Emad Muhammad Al-Mazoughi, who they said were killed, and that the father was in care, due to “more than one shell” falling on their house.

Al Marsad posted on Facebook that “the organs of the Presidential Council” were involved in clashes and shelling east of Tripoli, while @libyapress2010 tweeted that the clashes were between Al Radaa (Ministry of Interior RADAA Special forces) and Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade. A tweet from @wagak_original reported that the attack was carried out by. a drone after “elements of Ayoub Abu Ras (Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade) holed up next to” the house.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Naima Mesbah Al-Qamoudi نعيمة مصباح القمودي
Adult female killed
Reem Muhammad Al-Mazoughi ريم محمد المزوغي
Child killed
Emad Muhammad Al-Mazoughi عماد محمد المزوغي
Child killed
Muhammad Al-Mazoughi
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • (0–2 children0–1 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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.

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • House damaged by shelling of Mashrou’ Al Muz on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @tkyroogklshytk)
  • Fire from shelling of Mashrou’ Al Muz on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @wady_dynar)
  • Fire from shelling of Mashrou’ Al Muz on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @SosoRt19)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Mashrou’ Al Muz (مشروع الموز) neighbourhood of Tripoli (طرابلس). The generic coordinates for Mashrou’ Al Muz are: 32.841729, 13.273353. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • (0–2 children0–1 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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.

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4458

Incident date

August 13, 2022

Location

بالقرب من بلدة النيرب بريف إدلب الجنوبي الشرقي, Near the town of Neirab in the southeastern countryside of Idlib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian, Amer Hussein al Asmar, from the town Halfaya was killed by a landmine explosion of the remnants of the battles near Jubas while he was collecting figs near the town of Neirab in the southeastern countryside of Idlib on August 13th 2022. Local media sources state that the victim was married and left behind his two children. One sole report by TvIdlib, identifies the victim by the name Amer Abu Khaled.

According to local sources, the landmine was a remain of the recurring bombings in northwestern Syria as a result of Syrian regime and Russian forces actions. The northwestern area of Syria has allegedly thousands of unexploded landmines from continued bombings, preventing ordinary civilians to harvest their crops.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Amer Hussein al Asmar
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • One civilian was reportedly killed by a landmine explosion in Jubas on August 13th 2022 (Image via @mzmgr941 / Twitter)
  • One civilian was reportedly killed by a landmine explosion in Jubas on August 13th 2022 (Image via @mzmgr941 / Twitter)
  • One civilian was reportedly killed by a landmine explosion in Jubas on August 13th 2022 (Image via @defense_syr / Twitter)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military 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
  • (1 man)
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS483

Incident date

January 8, 2022

Location

كوباني, Kobani, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was killed by alleged Turkish airstrikes or drone strikes on Khani village on January 8, 2022.

According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an elder of Khani village was killed. Hawar News identified the civilian killed as Ibrahim Sharif, known as Ashkar.

The villages that were affected by the Turkish bombing were the villages of Tal Hajib, Qarmog, Goran, Khani, Sarzuri and Koltepe, located east of Kobani on the border with Turkey, in addition to Kobani city.

The General Council of the Democratic Union Party issued a written statement: “In a new test for the international community and the United Nations, the Turkish regime violated international principles and laws and targeted civilians in the center of Kobani city this morning, Saturday, with (drones) and heavy weapons, and its indiscriminate bombing resulted in martyrs and wounded civilians and extensive damage to their property.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members

The victims were named as:

Ibrahim Sharif
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish shelling on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Kassioun)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish shelling on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Kassioun)
  • One of the victims of the alleged Turkish bombing of villages around Kobani on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM356

Incident date

November 9, 2022

Location

285 kilometers northeast of Mogadishu, Galgaduud, Somalia

Geolocation

4.483513, 46.227249 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Additional Geolocations

4.512549, 46.283599 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least 17 militants were killed by US AFRICOM declared airstrikes approximately 285 kilometers northeast, possibly in Basra, Balad district and/or in Ceel Gorof (Galmudug) on November 9, 2022.

AFRICOM released a statement two days after the incident, November 11th, that “Somali National Army forces were engaged with al Shabaab fighters in a remote area approximately 285 kilometers northeast of Mogadishu on Nov. 9. At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense strike against the al-Shabaab terrorists who were attacking the Somali forces. Working with the Somali National Army, U.S. Africa Command’s initial assessment is that the strike killed 17 attacking al Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.”

Unlike recent statements, AFRICOM does not provide a specific location name for the incident. @Vatescorp tweeted that although AFRICOM did not confirm the location, there were reports that airstrikes were conducted on November 9th and 10th IVO Wabxo, Galgaduud. Geolocation narrowed the referenced location from AFRICOM to the vicinity of Ceel Gorof (the Gorof well) and Wabxo village, which are very close to each other and approx 285 km northeast of Mogadishu.

A tweet from @BCFinucane pointed out that in a later part of the statement, AFRICOM refers to al-Shabaab as being capable of attacking “Somali, East African, and American civilians”, yet “if the reference to the threat from Al Shabaab to US civilians is an allusion to the 2020 attack on Manda Bay, that seems like a stretch”.

The National News Media added that the strike came a few days after al-Shabaab killed five soldiers in Mogadishu and a little over a week after al-Shabaab was responsible for a mass casualty car bombing.

On the same day as the strike, National News Media reported that the Somali army released a statement that they had killed at least 20 militants and took back al-Shabaab controlled towns in central Somalia. A tweet from @ArlaadiMnetwork Abdikamil Moalim Shukri, spokesman for the ministry of internal security, who they said announced that at least 47 al-Shabaab militants were killed by an operation carried out by NISA (the National Intelligence and Security Agency) and international friends in Basra, Balad district. @HarunMaruf added that the government also announced that in addition to the 47 militants killed in Basra, 50 militants were killed in Ceel Gorof (Galmudug).

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Ground operation
  • 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 killed
    17–97

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Ceel Gorof (Gorof well) and the village of Wabxo, located close together, in the Galguduud region, approximately 285 kilometres northeast of Mogadishu. The generic coordinates for the Gorof well are: 4.483513, 46.227249. The generic coordinates for Wabxo are: 4.512549, 46.283599. 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

Somali National Army forces were engaged with al Shabaab fighters in a remote area approximately 285 kilometers northeast of Mogadishu on Nov. 9. At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense strike against the al-Shabaab terrorists who were attacking the Somali forces.


Working with the Somali National Army, U.S. Africa Command’s initial assessment is that the strike killed 17 attacking al Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.

U.S. Africa Command takes great measures to prevent civilian casualties. Protecting civilians remains a vital part of the command’s operations to promote greater security for all Africans.

Al-Shabaab is the largest and most deadly al-Qaeda network in the world and has proven both its will and capability to attack Somali, East African, and American civilians.

Somalia remains key to the stability and security in all of East Africa. U.S. Africa Command’s forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to give them the tools that they need to defeat al-Shabaab.

U.S. Africa Command will continue to assess the results of this operation and will provide additional information as appropriate. Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operations security.

U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, and strengthens security forces in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Ground operation
  • 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 killed
    17–97

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3168

Incident date

March 4, 2018

Location

الأربعين, Al Arbaeen, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.150833, 36.765278 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians were reported to be wounded following alleged Russia air or artillery strikes on Al Arbaeen.

Shaam was the only source to report on wounded civilians, while the rest simply stated there was bombing in the vicinity.

Sources do however mention that there was heavy shelling, artillery fire and phosphorous bombs all fired onto the vicinity.

There are no more details at this time.

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
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]