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

CS158a

Incident date

December 24, 2015

Location

منبج, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.80078, 38.26733 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 Manbij, Syria.

Their June 2019 civilian casualty report noted: “Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against Daesh terrorists. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally wounded due to their proximity to the strike.”

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

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

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
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    2
  • Stated location
    near Manbij, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV338621
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 2019

  • Dec. 24, 2015, near Manbij, Syria, via self-report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against Daesh terrorists. Regrettably, two civilians were unintentionally wounded due to their proximity to the strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

Near Manbij, five strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL vehicles,
an ISIL fighting position, and wounded two ISIL fighters

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS477 CS1967

Incident date

October 25, 2021

Location

العدوانية, Al Adwania, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.711861, 39.624167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four men were killed in Coalition airstrikes or shootings with the alleged assistance of Turkish forces in the village of Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. One of the men, Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail, was identified as an arms dealer while sources were conflicted as to whether the other men were civilians or militants.

The Euphrates Post reported that Turkish forces entered the village of Al Adwania and shot the young man Abdul Rahman Salem Al-Hammad, who died instantly from his gunshot wound. They also pointed out that Abdul had been armed and was killed instantly. Private sources contested that the forces that entered the area were Turkish, reporting that they “spoke English and not Turkish”, making it likely that the forces belonged to the Coalition.

According to Euphrates Post, this incident occurred shortly after an alleged Coalition drone killed Sabahi Al-Musleh “Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail”, identified as being a former arms dealer close to ISIS. A tweet from @DeirEzzorNow disputed this, stating that “Sabahi is not closely associated with the terrorist organization ISIS but the man was an old arms dealer… he joined the 20th Division – and sometimes he works as a smuggler towards Turkey.”

The Syrians for Truth and Justice released a report where they identified Abu Hamza as being a “a famous arms dealer in the region” who “supplied and sold massive quantities of various types of firearms to several parties in the Syrian conflict, chiefly IS”. Al-Shuhail worked with the factions of the former Free Syrian Army (FSA), Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Nusra Front)/Qaeda, and later with both IS and the SDF. He rented the farmhouse in al-Adwaniya—which is under the military control of SNA-affiliated 20th Division—and made it a headquarters for administrating his business, which included people smuggling “in coordination with SNA commanders”.

Additionally, two other people were killed by “unknown fire” when they rode a motorcycle to inspect the location of the drone strike, identified as being Sami Khalil Al-Khuzam, an electrician who worked in an agricultural vehicle repair shop from the village of Al-Marayeh in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, and Nawaf Khalaf Al-Hawas, a shepherd from the village of Al-Tabiya. Orient News attributed the death of Sami and Nawaf to the Turkish forces that entered the area following the airstrikes.

Eye of Euphrates referred to “at least three” people killed in addition to Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail as being his “companions” but did not specifically identify if they were militants or civilians and their reporting also seems to indicate that the drone strike killed all four victims. However, a tweet from @DeirEzzorNow specifically identifies Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail, Abdul, and Nawaf as all being from Deir Ezzor and as all being members of the 20th National Army Division (they did not mention Sami Khalil).

The report by the Syrians for Truth and Justice identified the location as being a newly constructed farm adjacent to the Syria-Turkey border in al-Adwaniya village. Following the drone strike that killed Abu Hamza, Turkish ground troops came from Turkey and encircled the area, exchanging fire and killing a gunman in the farmhouse named Abdulrahman Salem al-Hammad, who “used to work with al-Shuhail and visited the farmhouse frequently”. In addition, two other civilians “arrived in the target area about an hour and a half after the assassination operation started” and were killed. Sami al-Khuzami died when he was shot in the chest, and Nawaf al-Khalaf died when he was shot in the head, possibly by sniper fire due to the location. Both were “killed on the main street leading to the farm, about 150 meters away from the farmhouse”. Overall, the incident resulted in the death of three civilians “who maintained no relations with the arms dealer”.

On November 27th 2021, the UK government announced that they had conducted strikes in this location without giving details about who was killed: “The crew of a remotely piloted Reaper, armed with Hellfire missiles, tracked a known terrorist in northern Syria, near the city of Ras al Ayn, and at a safe moment, when the individual was alone in a field, carried out a successful attack.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Rahman Salem Al-Hammad
Adult male killed
Sami Khalil Al-Khuzam
Adult male killed
Nawaf Khalaf Al-Hawas
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–3 men)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, US-led Coalition
  • Known targets
    Assad regime, ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • Sabahi Al-Musleh "Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail", an alleged arms dealer killed in strikes on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • Sami al-Khuzami , killed in Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Nawaf al-Khalaf, killed in Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • One of the men killed in strikes or a shooting in Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Two photos taken at different intervals of the farmhouse built sometime in 2021, and where al-Shuhail was killed. The farmhouse is adjacent to Syria-Turkey borders and is farmed in red. Credits: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Satellite image taken by Planet Labs Inc. 7 November 2021. The photo locates the farmhouse—the black square—where al-Shuhail was killed, compared to the location of the Turkish base—the red square—from where the ground forces raided the farmhouse. Additionally, the photo shows the border wall between Syria and Turkey. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Footage from the video, showing the farmhouse, in the black square. Credit: STJ.
  • Satellite image linked with the live footage from the video. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Satellite image linked with the live footage from the video. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Footage from the video. Credit: STJ.
  • Footage circulated on social media of what is believed al-Shuhail’s body parts and the location where the drone hit.
  • The footage from social media linked with satellite images. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Footage circulated on social media of what is believed to be al-Shuhail’s body parts and the location where the drone hit.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of victim Nawaf al-Khalaf, shot in the forehead by alleged Turkish forces on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Syrians for Truth and Justice)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of victim Sami al-Khuzami, who was targeted just in the heart by alleged Turkish forces on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Syrians for Truth and Justice)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the strike mention the village of Al Adwania (العدوانية). According to research conducted by Syrians for Truth and Justice, the exact coordinates for this strike are: 36.711861, 39.624167. Cross referencing source material, we can confirm the accuracy of this location.  

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

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

The crew of a remotely piloted Reaper, armed with Hellfire missiles, tracked a known terrorist in northern Syria, near the city of Ras al Ayn, and at a safe moment, when the individual was alone in a field, carried out a successful attack.

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

Monday 25 October – An RAF Reaper killed a Daesh terrorist in northern Syria. Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to fly missions over Iraq and Syria in support of the global coalition against the Daesh terrorist movement. On Monday 25 October, the crew of a remotely piloted Reaper, armed with Hellfire missiles, tracked a known terrorist in northern Syria, near the city of Ras al Ayn, and at a safe moment, when the individual was alone in a field, carried out a successful strike.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–3 men)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, US-led Coalition
  • Known targets
    Assad regime, ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI176

Incident date

January 12, 2016

Location

القائم, Al Qaim, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

34.3957715, 40.9943684 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On October 27th 2017 the Coalition published an assessment of a civilian casualty event dated January 12th 2016, naming Airwars as the source of reporting. The Coalition’s report stated: “1. Jan. 12, 2016, near Al Qa’im, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of available information, it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.” However, Airwars had not reported any strikes in Iraq that date.

After contacting the Coalition, Airwars was told in an email that the assessment had in fact been published with the wrong year. The Coalition’s assessment refers to the alleged strike in Al Qaim in January 12th 2017.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Tel Kepe, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 30, 2017

  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

COALITION-ASSESSED CASUALTY EVENT

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

CI304

Incident date

October 22, 2016

Location

بخديدا (Bakhdida), Qaraqosh, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.27093, 43.37758 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Coalition announced in December 2016 it was conducting an assessment of a possible civilian casualty event: Currently, three reports received in October are still being assessed… Oct. 22, 2016, near Qaraqosh and Hasana, Iraq.

On January 2nd 2017 a new Coalition report noted: No Coalition strikes were conducted on structures in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties. A senior Coalition official later told Airwars that the allegation had been “Based on Russian social media and Russian MinDef accusations.

However local reporting at the time said that Coalition airstrikes were conducted at Qaraqosh in support of ISF ground operations.

Given reported British actions in the area that day, Airwars flagged the incident to the UK’s MoD which said we can confirm that there was no UK involvement in the event. However given that RAF strikes were reported in Qaraqosh, Airwars has requested further clarification.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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, US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ 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 Qaraqosh and Hasana, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 2, 2017

  • No Coalition strikes were conducted on structures in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 22nd 2016, the Coalition reported at the time that “Near Kisik, one strike damaged an ISIL tunnel. Near Mosul, four strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units, 12 staging areas, six mortar systems, a rocket position and a heavy machine gun; destroyed 21 fighting positions, 10 mortar systems, eight vehicles, eight command and control nodes, seven ISIL-held buildings, five bunkers, four anti-aircraft guns, four artillery systems, three tunnels, three VBIEDs, two supply caches, two heavy machine guns, a VBIED facility and a front end loader; and damaged three VBIEDs, two tunnels, a fighting position, a repeater tower and a vehicle.”

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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, US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI470

Incident date

February 19, 2017

Location

المدينة القديمة, Mosul, Old City, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34075, 43.126911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a further incident not previously tracked by Airwars, the Coalition said in its July report that an allegation on social media of civilian casualties at Old Mosul had been assessed as Not Credible.

According to the report “Feb. 19, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was approximately a kilometer away. After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient information available to determine if civilians were present or harmed in strikes in that area.”

Coalition officials said the alleged event took place in the vicinity of 36.343614, 43.122010 near the al Noree al Kaber mosque in Old Mosul. Airwars has been unable to identify any social media report for the day relating to such an incident.

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]

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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3146923698
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 30, 2017

  • No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties. The closest strike to the report of possible civilian casualties was approximately a kilometer away. After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient information available to determine if civilians were present or harmed in strikes in that area.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For February 18th-19th the Coalition publicly noted: “Near Mosul, nine strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area; destroyed four ISIS headquarters, four watercraft, three engineering equipment pieces, three command and control nodes, two artillery systems, a vehicle, an excavator, a fighting position, an ISIS-held building, and an ISIS support facility; damaged nine supply routes and three tunnels; and suppressed 11 mortar teams, and an artillery team.”

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]

Incident Code

CI552

Incident date

March 17, 2017

Location

Mosul, Zanjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on April 1st 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment of civilian harm claims “near Mosul, Iraq”. According to the Coalition report, “March 17, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via NGO 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 Coalition shared the location of this assessed strike with Airwars. The location was stated as the Zanjili neighbourhood in Mosul.

The strike was assessed as non credible based on the claim that “no Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.” However, the Coalition reported multiple strikes in Mosul that day.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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]

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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLV3027325023
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 1, 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 16th-17th the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed 11 fighting positions, seven vehicles, a recoilless rifle, a heavy machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade system, an explosives factory, a supply cache, and an ISIS-held building; damaged 14 supply routes and a fighting position; and suppressed 13 ISIS mortar teams.”

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

CI720

Incident date

May 18, 2017

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.34585235, 43.09857692 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In its July 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition reported that it did not carry out strikes in an area where civilian casualties were alleged by an unnamed NGO. This allegation was previously unknown to Airwars.

According to the report, “May 18, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via NGO report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • 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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 17th-18th, the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed eight fighting positions, four medium machine guns, four mortar systems, four VBIEDs, four rocket systems, three vehicles, three rocket-propelled grenade systems, two ISIS-held buildings, two heavy machine guns, two ISIS staging areas, a supply cache, an anti-air artillery system, an ISIS fuel truck, a VBIED facility, and a fighting position; damaged 16 supply routes and four rocket systems; and suppressed two mortar teams and an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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

CS1068

Incident date

June 23, 2017

Location

الطواطحة, Tawatha, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.696987, 40.793104 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One man was reportedly wounded after a water tanker in Al Tawatha village near Abu Kamal in the east of Deir Ezzor was allegedly struck by a Coalition airstrike.

The man was said to be injured in the leg due to shrapnel exploding off the tanker.

According to Baladi News, “Coalition aircraft targeted a pipeline to transport oil near the Grand Mosque in the village of Al-Tawataha and destroyed parts of the mosque.” It made no mention of civilian casualties.

But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who also pointed towards the Coalition, said that there was “information on casualties from the bombing” – though it didn’t offer further details.

According to Sharqiya, there was a “bombing of a mosque and a school in the al-Bukhammal, followed by heavy gunfire in the area.”

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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A picture showing the remains of a water tank, allegedly targeted by Coalition strikes in the village of Al-Tawatah, Abu Kamal (via Euphrates Post)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tawatha (الطواطحة), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.696987, 40.793104. 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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Tawatha, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 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 June 22nd-23rd, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed six ISIS oil stills.”

For June 23rd-24th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed a front-end loader.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]