US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Civilians in the ruins of Mosul city. (Maranie R. Staab)

Belligerent
US-led Coalition
Country
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
2984 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

CS432

Incident date

January 7, 2017

Location

السوا, Sawa, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.61079, 40.06216 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and 40 civilians reportedly died following a Coalition airstrike at al Sa’wa, according to local sources. The Coalition later confirmed killing just two civilians.

According to Step News, “international coalition planes targeted last night oil terminal wells near the town of Al Sa’awa in the western countryside with dozens of air strikes, killing forty civilians -oil traders from the region – and the burning of more than sixty tankers to transport oil.” Shaam News instead reported that Coalition strikes “led to the death of five people who were civilians, one of whom has been identified as Sami Ahmad al Bala’at who is from Hatla village.”

Euphrates Post reported: “Coalition warplanes targeted oil refineries in Al-Sa’wa, killing five civilians and wounding more. One of them is identified as Sami Ahmad Al-Bal’at from Hatla.”

According to Qasioun, six non-combatants died and a further 15 were wounded when oil refineries were targeted in Al Sa’wa.

On March 4th the Coalition reported the following: “Jan. 7, 2017, near As Sawa, Syria, via self-report: During a strike on ISIS oil tanker trucks it is assessed that two civilians were killed. After warning shots were fired to dislodge drivers from the vehicles a number of the trucks scattered. Two of the trucks were subsequently engaged, destroyed, and their drivers presumed killed. The other vehicles in the area were abandoned after the warning shots were fired and subsequently destroyed with no assessed civilian casualties.”

In July 2019, the Coalition provided Airwars with coordinates for the event, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Sami Ahmad al Bala’at
Age unknown male From Hatla killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 40
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest village at 35.53226, 39.96322

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    Inside target vehicle
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    2
  • Stated location
    near As Sawa, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV962413
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 4, 2017

  • Jan. 7, 2017, near As Sawa, Syria, via self-report: During a strike on ISIS oil tanker trucks it is assessed that two civilians were killed. After warning shots were fired to dislodge drivers from the vehicles a number of the trucks scattered. Two of the trucks were subsequently engaged, destroyed, and their drivers presumed killed. The other vehicles in the area were abandoned after the warning shots were fired and subsequently destroyed with no assessed civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For January 6th-7th the Coalition publicly reported that “Near Dayr Az Zawr, nine strikes destroyed 18 oil refinement stills, 15 oil pump jacks, and an oil well head.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 40
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS779

Incident date

May 7, 2017

Location

الثورة‎, Tabaqah, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 20 and 40 civilians including eight children and four women died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the Al Awwal and Al Thaleth neighbourhood of Al Tabaqa, according to local media.

All sources attributed the incident to the Coalition, though there was some uncertainly on the date of the incident with a number of sources sources reporting deaths on May 12th from an incident that reportedly occurred “a few days ago”.

Raqqa is being Slaughtered Silently, blaming the Coalition, put the death toll as high as 30. According to a report on May 13th, “a lot of buildings in the second and third neighborhoods have been completely destroyed, some of them still under the ruins of the population, especially in the third district where the number of martyrs is estimated at 40 civilian martyrs, not to mention the destruction of infrastructure.”

The article went on to claim that Kurdish forces “have imposed a curfew in the city, especially in the neighborhoods they have recently controlled. They are now transporting many bodies from houses and rubble and burying them away from the eyes of the media and cameras to say that there are no civilian casualties. The militias also moved the people who were present In neighborhoods to the village area.”

The journalist Mohab Nasser produced reports on May 12th, naming casualties which he said had been the result of a Coalition strike “a few days ago”. Airwars reached out to him to confirm the date of the incident and he told our researchers that “on On 7/5/2017 a warplane belonging to the Coalition attacked a 4-storey residential building in the third district, which led to the destruction of the building and the martyrdom of a number of residents, including three families. He named victims as:

Alo Hatem Jubran, 78 years

Safia Yassin, 77 years [female]

Ibrahim Alo Jubran, 41 years

Batoul Al-Sayed, 35 years [female]

Mohammed Ibrahim Jubran, 8 years

Fatima Ibrahim Jubran, 6 years

Maria Ibrahim Jubran, 1 year

Najah Musa Al-Abeisan, 18 years

Mohammed Ali Al-Aoran

Firas Bakir, 38 years

Wife of Firas Bakir

Mohamed Abdo Manan – also named in a previous event on May 12th in Tabaqa’s Third neighbourhood (listed below)

Salam Rasho, wife of Mohamed Abdo Manan – also named in a previous event on May 12th in Tabaqa’s Third neighbourhood (listed below)

The child Mohammed Abdo – also named in a previous event on May 12th in Tabaqa’s Third neighbourhood (listed below)

Khalil Ibrahim Jubran, 10 years

Abu Mustafa Al – Issa, 8 years

Ahmed Mustafa Al-Eissa, 7 years

Zakaria Mustafa Al – Issa, 14 years

Ziad Abdul Ghani Mullah Hashim, 43 years

He added that more victims were being found every day. Four further victims were named as:

Mohamed Hassan Awad

Mustapha Abdul Kafi al-Hussein

Mustafa Hussein

Khaled Areeb

Mohammad Haddad

RFS reported on May 14th the death of seven people – including women and children – from the Gebran family, in a Coalition strike which occurred “a few days ago”.

RBSS named further victims as:

George Bashoura

Abu Hassan al Ahdab – and his wife and two children

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 40
  • (10 children5 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (44) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abi Zakariya al Issa, eight-years-old, died in an alleged Coalition raid on Tabaqa's Thurd neighbourhood on May 7th, according to Mohab Nasser.
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    a:1:{i:0;s:24:"insufficient_information";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Tabqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 6th-7th, the Coalition reported: “Near Tabqah, nine strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed four fighting positions, two tactical vehicles, a vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 40
  • (10 children5 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (44) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1593

Incident date

October 6, 2017

Location

البدو, Baidou, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.961778, 39.006083 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mass civilian casualty event reportedly took place on the Al Bedou neighbourhood of Raqqah city, following alleged US-led Coalition strikes, according to multiple local sources.

According to local monitors 40 civilians died, with reportedly a total of “around 60” suspected either killed or injured. The strikes were said to have targeted or struck an apartment building in the neighbourhood where civilians were located, and bodies were expected to be still under the rubble. Baladi reported on the significant material destruction caused including the “demolition of houses”.

According to tracked sources,”unprecedented American bombing that took place last night caused the collapse of a number of buildings in the vicinity of the municipal stadium” with the source adding that “a number of buildings cracked and collapsed in the area of ​​the White Garden and Al Bedou neighborhood around the municipal stadium, which led to the fall of a large number of martyrs and wounded and many of those are trapped under the rubble”

At present information is limited, Airwars will update the entry when new information comes to the fore regarding civilians killed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    40
  • (10 children10 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 2018

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 5th-6th, the Coalition reported that “Near Raqqah, 29 strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units and destroyed 23 fighting positions, two vehicles, a supply route, an IED, damaged a vehicle and suppressed three fighting positions.” It additionally reported that “On Oct. 5, near Raqqah, Syria, 10 strikes disrupted three ISIS supply routes, damaged five fighting positions, destroyed one fighting position, and suppressed one fighting position and one ISIS tactical unit.” And that “On Oct 5, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike damaged an ISIS fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    40
  • (10 children10 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI677

Incident date

April 29, 2017

Location

مشيرفة, Mosul, Meshrfa, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.376753, 43.049025 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven families – an estimated 20 to 40 people – reportedly died in a Coalition or ISF airstrike on a house on the outskirts of Msherfa in West Mosul.

Amnesty International shared the following field report with Airwars, citing a local eyewitness: “I witnessed another airstrike (presumed) on 29 April in Msherfa. It was a one storey building with no cellar. Only the old buildings have cellars; since we got rid of Saddam we didn’t need cellars anymore (said with a wry smile). The airstrike killed seven families. They (coalition airstrikes) killed more civilians than ISIS. For every ISIS killed they killed 100 civilians (exaggeration for effect).

I was at home in 17 Tammuz when I heard the explosion. The fighting at the time was in Rajum Hadeed. It was quite far from my home – maybe 300 metres away – but my aunt lives in that direction so I got on my motorcycle and went to see if she was alright. The explosion was close to my aunt’s house, on the road out of Musharrafeh towards Harmat. There was no fire at the scene, just rubble and dust. The civil defence boys came and started hosing down the dust in order to dig the bodies out.

I didn’t stay around long as I was afraid of a second strike; that the plane would come around and strike again. It didn’t on this occasion. The neighbours at the scene told me that there had been seven families inside. I don’t know if there had been military targets in the neighbourhood but ISIS was usually mixed in with the population.

I was not afraid of ISIS. You grow a beard, you cut your trousers (above the ankle), you don’t smoke and you’re ok. I was afraid of the coalition as when they strike they don’t know the difference between you and ISIS.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 40
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Meshrah neighborhood, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 28, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties. (1403)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 28th-29th: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed four mortar systems, two supply caches, an anti-air artillery system, a tactical vehicle, and an ISIS staging area; damaged seven ISIS supply routes; and suppressed an ISIS mortar team” and “Near Mosul, Iraq; on April 29th, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two fighting positions, two weapons caches, one mortar system, and one front-end loader; and suppressed a heavy machine gun.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 40
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS177

Incident date

February 17, 2016

Location

الحسكة, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.5044792, 40.74354 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Coalition airstrikes on three or four Daesh-controlled villages killed 15 civilians including three children, according to both the Syrian Observatory and the Hassakah Youth Movement.

In a later report, the Damascus Center noted: “On the afternoon [of Wednesday 17th February 2016), planes likely to be the Coalition launched more than ten air strikes, affecting several civilian sites in the countryside of southern Hassakah including houses inhabited by unarmed civilians. More than 40 civilians died and nearly 70 were wounded, with the following towns south of Hassakah targeted: (Traykham, Al Hadidiya, al Madina, Al Khalifa “Gouna”, Alhalil, Abu Vichke, Umm Hajra, Al’ammo, Alhoiesh “Albu Frio”).“

Blogger Siraj al Hasskawi later issued the names of those he said had died.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ali Zirro
Age unknown male Al-Haleel village killed
Ali Zirro's wife
Age unknown female Al-Haleel village killed

Family members (2)

Ahmed Ali Zirro
Age unknown male Al-Haleel village killed
Ahmed Ali Zirro's wife (Sabha Abdullah al Da'as)
Age unknown female Al-Haleel village killed

Family members (1)

the entire Tahmaz Family
Age unknown Traykham village killed

Family members (1)

the family of Khalaf Al Hussein
Age unknown Traykham village killed

Family members (1)

the family of Hamdan Khalfan al Ali
Age unknown Traykham village killed

Family members (1)

Two families from Al-Immo village
Age unknown Al-Immo village killed

The victims were named as:

The family of Ahmad al A’keel
Age unknown Al-Haleel village killed
The family of Hammoud al A’keel
Age unknown Al-Haleel village killed
the child Hanan Hammoud Al A’keel
Child Al-Haleel village killed
Child Abdul al Samad al Saleh
Child male Al-Haleel village killed
the family of Ayed Zeib
Age unknown Al-Haleel village killed
Adour al Hamdan’s family
Age unknown Abu Fishke village killed
The family of Ibrahim Al-Ahmad
Age unknown Al Hadadiya village killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 40
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    70
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For February 17th-18th the Coalition reported that “Near Al Hasakah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL building.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 40
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    70
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS123

Incident date

September 9, 2015

Location

الثورة‎, Al-Thawrah (Tabaqah), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 20 adult civilians were reported killed and injured alongside 15 children after Coalition aircraft reportedly bombed forcibly-engaged civilians who were being forced to dig ditches by Islamic State. The children reportedly belonged to ISIL’s Cubs of Al Khilafa youth organisation. The casualties occurred in the morning at the village of Krin, west of Tabaqah, alongside an estimated 50 Daesh fighters.

Raqaa is Being Slaughtered Silently later published a report on the event: “The bombing resulted in the killing of a number of what the organisation (IS) refers to as “Cubs of the Caliphate”, in addition to more than 20 civilians who had been hired, at 2,500 Syrian pounds a day [c £13], to work on digging trenches. There were also a number of civilians who had been detained on various charges, such as smoking and failure to pray, and whose punishment was being made to dig trenches.”

SOHR placed the number of adults killed at 15, slightly lower than other sources.

There were later efforts to spread false propaganda about the strike, including images of events [GRAPHIC] which had taken place weeks earlier at Douma.

In their monthly civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition has indicated that the credibility of this civilian harm allegation is in the process of being assessed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    30 – 40
  • (15 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Islamic State banner reporting that more than 30 people were killed following alleged coalition raids on the village of Krin west of Tabaqah. It specifies that there were among the planes Apaches and drones. tweeted on 9th September 2015 by @journalist_omar [account now suspended]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of victim of alleged coalition raids on the village of Krin west of Tabaqah. Tweeted on 9th September 2015 by @journalist_omar [account now suspended]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of victim of alleged coalition raids on the village of Krin west of Tabaqah. Tweeted on 9th September 2015 by @algareeb333 [account now suspended]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Twitter account @HewarMaftuh described as 'open dialogue forum by US Central Command' reveals that photos published by pro ISIL accounts claiming to show victims of coalition raids on Tabaqah were in fact showing photos from Douma. 9th September 2015

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Open incident
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reported a single airstrike in the vicinity for September 8th-9th 2015: “Near Ar Raqqah, one airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit and an ISIL training camp and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL motorcycle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    30 – 40
  • (15 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS863

Incident date

May 25, 2017

Location

ميادين, Al Mayadin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.01979, 40.45123 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 15 and 40 civilians including two to five children and one to three women died, and up to 15 more were injured, in airstrikes on multiple locations in Al Mayadeen. Local sources were initially conflicted as to whether this was the work of the Coalition, Iraqi warplanes or Russia.

However, in April 2018 the Coalition claimed responsibility for the event:  “It was assessed that during a strike on an ISIS media center and headquarters 15 civilians were unintentionally killed.”

In an interview with ITV News in summer 2019, British ISIS fighter Alexanda Kotey claimed that up to 40 people died when a single apartment block [presumably the al-Dahmoush building, see below] was bombed that day – including a notorious British ISIS supporter Sally Jones, known as the ‘White Widow’, and her 12-year-old son Jojo.

Many sources, including Euphrates Post, the Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Smart News Network, initially reported the death of four non-combatants on May 25th. Other sources, however, put the death toll higher, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting that up to 35 civilians died, including many family members of IS.

According to the Syrian Observatory, “Reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the strikes on the Dahmoush building have killed 26 other people at least, most of them are from the families of the organization’s members, others were injured and went missing due to these airstrikes. The Syrian Observatory learned that those who were killed, injured and missing belonged to 7 families of members of the ‘Islamic State’ organization”.

On May 30th Euphrates Post also reported “The death of the mother of Saddam, the wife of Hussein al-Hamad al-Arrouk, who was injured by the raids that targeted the city of Al-Mayadeen a few days ago. She joins her husband, her sons, her daughter and her grandson.”

The Observatory documented a number of strikes by Coalition jets: “At 7:25 pm two warplanes accompanied by two drones hovered in the sky of Al-Mayadin city, coinciding with citizens’ entry to the city’s mosques. Both warplanes carried out 4 strikes using 4 consecutive rockets, the first two rockets targeted the 4-storey al-Dahmoush building, which housed family members of the ‘Islamic State’ organization of Syrian and Moroccan nationalities. It was destroyed completely, and the raid killed a man and 2 women and a baby from Al-Mayadin. A second raid targeted the market of the city, which killed a woman, her 2 children and 2 other children. The number of Syrian people who were killed has become 9, including 5 children and 3 citizen women.”

Arabic.rt also put the death toll at 35 and blamed the Coalition.

However, Zamanalwsl pointed towards Iraqi warplanes.

Two other sources – Alaraby and @abojannarawi201 said that Russia was responsible.

According to Alaraby, Russian warplanes carried out three strikes, and “one of the raids targeted the market of the Office of the vicar in the city centre, and civilian homes resulted in the deaths and injuries.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights later reported: “The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights received information from reliable sources about the presence of Ryan Meshaal in al-Dahmoush building 3 hours before it was targeted by the International Coalition; at 7:25 in the evening of Thursday the 25th of May 2017, while the Syrian Observatory can’t confirm whether Ryan Meshaal [one of the founders of IS media agency A’amaq] is among those who were killed by the airstrikes that targeted the building and killed 26 persons of the organization’s families, also the airstrikes caused injuries and some people gone missing, where the Syrian Observatory learned that those who were killed, injured and lost belong to 7 families of the Islamic State organization’s members.”

The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100-metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mohammed Abdul-Wahab Al-Aziz
Adult male killed
Wife of Martyr Mohammed Abdul Aziz
Adult female killed

Family members (2)

Wife of Muhannad Rahbi
Adult female killed
Mohamad Muhanad Waka’ al Rahbi
Child male Baby son of Muhannad Rahbi killed

The victims were named as:

the mother of Saddam
Adult female wife of Hussein al-Hamad al-Arrouk killed
Jojo Jones
12 years old male Son of Sally Jones, aka the 'White Widow' killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 40
  • (2–5 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (37) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The child Mohamad Muhanad Waka’ al Rahbi alleged killed with his mother in shelling by the Coalition forces on al Mayadeen city in Deir Ez-Zour, May 25, 2017 (via SN4HR May 25th 2017).
  • The child Mohammad Muhannad al Rahbi who was killed with his mother in shelling by the Coalition forces on al Mayadeen city in Deir Ez-Zour, May 25, 2017 (via Euphrates post on November 26th 2018).

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

  • 37SFU324762

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    15
  • Stated location
    near Al Mayadin, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU324762
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 2018

  • May 25, 2017 near Al Mayadin, Syria via Airwars report. It was assessed that during a strike on an ISIS media center and headquarters 15 civilians were unintentionally killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed an ISIS barge.“
For May 25th-26th, the Coalition reported: "Near Dayr Az Zawr, five strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed seven ISIS oil trucks, four ISIS barges, an ISIS well head, a command and control node, and an ISIS headquarters."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 40
  • (2–5 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (37) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI508

Incident date

March 4, 2017

Location

حي المطاحن, Mosul, Al-Matahin / Mills, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3380482, 43.0899453 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that up to 40 civilians were killed and more than 76 injured, mostly children and women, in Coalition airstrikes on the Station, Mills and Fatah neighborhoods at the right side of Mosul.

While Iraqi Spring Media Center blamed the US for carrying out the raids (and posted several graphic images of children allegedly killed) Yaqein said Iraqi government forces were responsible.

In their August 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    36 – 40
  • (7 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    76–84
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of the alleged attack (via Iraqi Spring)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another victim of the alleged attack (via Iraqi Spring)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A man allegedly injured in the attack (via Iraqi Spring)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another victim of the alleged attack (via Iraqi Spring)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another victim of the alleged attack (via Iraqi Spring)
  • Aftermath of the alleged attack (via Iraqi Spring)
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF285231/38SLF282264
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 22, 2020
  • Aug 22, 2020

  • March 4, 2017, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3085/CI508 38SLF285231

  • March 4, 2017, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3087/CI508 38SLF282264

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 3rd-March 4th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and an ISIS staging area; destroyed 21 mortar systems, 13 fighting positions, five heavy machine guns, four medium machine guns, and an ISIS headquarters; and damaged five supply routes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    36 – 40
  • (7 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    76–84
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]