US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

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US-led Coalition
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Incident Code

CS686

Incident date

April 12, 2017

Location

هنيدة, Hunayda, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.83234, 38.69938 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Smart News Agency and Microsyriua four civilians were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Hunayda.

There is no further information presently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hunayda (هنيدة), for which the coordinates are: 35,83234 38,69938. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.  

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 Hanaida, Syria
    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. (1318)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 11th-12th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqa, eight strikes engaged an ISIS staging area, weapons storage cache, and command and control node.”

For April 12th-13th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqa seven strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed a vehicle and a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS730

Incident date

April 25, 2017

Location

زور شمر, Zor Shmar, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.7807781, 39.3691635 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Smart News Agency, reported that five civilians were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Zor Shmar.

No further details are currently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

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 Zor Shmar Syria
    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. (1375)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: “Near Tabqah, seven strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed three ISIS command and control nodes, a fighting position, and a heavy machine gun; and suppressed two ISIS tactical units.” For April 25th-26th, the Coalition reported no strikes at Raqqa though noted that “Near Tabqah, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; and destroyed four fighting positions and a fuel truck.“ The Coalition later reported: "Near Tabqah, on April 25, two strikes destroyed two fighting positions" and * "On April 24, near Tabqah, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; and destroyed two fighting positions and a rocket-propelled grenade team"

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1567

Incident date

October 2, 2017

Location

‏العشارة‬, near Al Asharah, Syria, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.8895, 40.56055 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the injury of a civilian in an event near Al Asharah, Syria.

Their December 2017 civilian casualty report noted: “During a Coalition strike which destroyed ISIS vehicle and equipment it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally injured.”

In July 2019, 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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest town at 34.919682, 40.560622

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 injuries conceded
    1
  • Stated location
    near Al Asharah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU426619
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 28, 2017

  • Oct. 2, 2017 near Al Asharah, Syria via self-report. During a Coalition strike which destroyed ISIS vehicle and equipment it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally injured.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 1st – 2nd the Coalition reported “Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed two ISIS well heads and a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS042

Incident date

January 12, 2015

Location

near al-Bo Omar, Syria, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Airwars assessment

In the January 25th 2018 civilian casualty report, the Coalition reported that a civilian casualties allegation near al-Bo Omar had been assessed as non credible: “#1 Jan. 12, 2015, near al-Bo Omar, Syria via regional human rights group report. 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.” The event was previously unknown to Airwars.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Jisr al Jadid, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 2018

  • 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For January 11th-12th 2015 the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Dawr az Zawr, an airstrike struck an ISIL oil refinery.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1889a

Incident date

January 20, 2019

Location

Ash Shajilah, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.47787, 40.96768 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident previously not tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the injuries of two civilians near Ash Shajilah, Syria. This was later confirmed to be a US-only civilian harm event.

In its July 2019 civilian casualty report the Coalition noted the following: “Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against Daesh terrorists. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally wounded due to the proximity of the strike.”

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

In its annual report to Congress in May 2020, the Pentagon confirmed this as a US-only civilian harm event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Table of US-only civilian harm events in Iraq and Syria for 2019, declared by the Pentagon to Congress in May 2020.

Geolocation notes

The Coalition released the MGRS for this incident as 37SFU807169

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
    Other
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Previously unknown
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    2
  • Stated location
    near Ash Shajilah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU807169
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2019

  • Jan. 20, 2019, near Ash Shajilah, Syria, via self-report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against Daesh terrorists. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally wounded due to the proximity of the strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

Between Jan. 13 - 26, 2019, CJTF-OIR conducted 645 strikes consisting of 1,360 engagements in Syria, and
conducted nine strikes consisting of 12 engagements in Iraq.

In Syria, 645 strikes engaged 394 ISIS tactical units, and destroyed 244 fighting positions, 172 supply routes, 85
staging areas, 21 vehicles, 17 buildings, 15 vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, 14 mortar launching sites,
13 manufacturing facilities for improvised explosive devices, 12 command and control nodes, nine tunnels, eight
weapons caches, seven pieces of engineering equipment, five launching sites for unmanned aircraft systems, two
weapons storage facilities, two mortar tubes, two improvised explosive devices, one unmanned aircraft system,
one machine gun, one logistic node and one check point.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1965

Incident date

October 2, 2021

Location

مزرعة تشرين, Mazra'a Tishreen, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.132398, 38.869372 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian, a “young” man, Abboud Al-Akeeb, was allegedly killed by US-led Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces’ raid on Tishreen Farm, north of Raqqa in Syria on 2nd October 2021, according to multiple sources. The attack was reported to have happened at dawn.

Athar Press reported that “American forces and “SDF” carried out raids in the Tishreen farm in the north of Raqqa governate, where the sounds of clashes and strong explosions were heard in the vicinity of the farm.”

Dostor, Al Araby News, and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the campaign was “to search for ISIS cells.”  According to the the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the US-led Coalition “carried out an airdrop operation” which resulted in the “arrest of two of ISIS leaders and several women, where a civilian was killed near the site coinciding with the airdrop operation.”  Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) reported that after raiding Mr. Al-Akeeb’s house, the military forces had “his parents tied up, and then the body was transferred to an unknown location. It later became clear that the operation was carried out by mistake and that the targeted persons are a family from the town of Sfira who lives next to the house of the slain “Abboud Al-Akeeb.”” RBSS also put the date of the strike on 1st October, although all other sources indicate this happened on 2nd October.

Local sources indicated that this operation coincided with another operation in Shanina. Watan reported that this raid shows an example of how the “US army and its affiliated militias have significantly increased the pace of raids and incursions into eastern Syria, targeting a large number of Syrian Arab tribesmen.”

It has been more than two years since Airwars has documented any alleged civilian casualties in Raqqa attributed to US-led Coalition and the SDF.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Abboud Al-Akeeb
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abboud Al-Akeeb, allegedly killed by US-led Coalition and SDF raid on Tishreen Farm, Raqqa on 26th September 2021. (Image via @SOHEB2019 / Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mazra’a Tishreen (مزرعة تشرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.132398, 38.869372. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI128

Incident date

October 18, 2015

Location

الحويجة, Hawijah, Kirkuk, Iraq

Geolocation

35.3240179, 43.77335 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that members of a family were killed or injured, after Coalition aircraft reportedly struck three civilian cars near the city of Hawijah. The victims were said to be travelling to Hawijah to pick up their state pensions.

According to NRN, “the international coalition may have believed that those cars were linked to Daesh based on intelligence. It turns out they were incorrect.“

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

  • NRN News
    • Facebook
    • English
    • Facebook
    • English

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

No Coalition strikes were publicly reported in the vicinity of Hawijah for October 17th-19th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

  • NRN News
    • Facebook
    • English
    • Facebook
    • English

Incident Code

CS396

Incident date

November 25, 2016

Location

الرقة‎, Near Ar Raqqah, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Airwars assessment

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown