US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

Belligerent
US-led Coalition
Country
Iraq
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

CS1972

Incident date

November 30, 2021

Location

هجين, Hajin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.6897222, 40.83 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two people, according to local sources, identified as Saber Sinjar Al-Fahd and Sami Dilis Al-Aoun, were killed allegedly by US-led Coalition and Kurdish SDF forces during an airstrike on an ISIS “sleeper cell” or the house of a former member of the oppostion factions in the city of Hajin, east of Deir Ezzor, Syria, on November 30th 2021 at dawn. None of the sources refer to Sami as being a militant while sources are conflicted as to whether Saber was affiliated with ISIS.

A local souce, @Sada_AlSharqieh tweeted that the men killed were cousins.

The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights reported that the two killed were apparently shot, and that this coincided with the airdrop operation.

According to Watan News, one person was arrested on charges of belonging to ISIS. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that the person arrested by the “International Coalition” forces was also released after the end of the security operation.

There is somewhat confusing reports, with Furat and other sources reporting that the house was Saber Al-Sinjar’s, one of the men reported to have been shot, and that he was arrested and taken to an unknown destination. According to the Euphrate Post, Al-Sinjar had fled about three years ago to Turkish territory after the SDF and Coalition forces took control of the area, only to return several months before this incident took place.  However, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the person arrested was later released at the end of the security operation.

Local sources who reported to Nedaa said that Saber Al-Sinjar was working in Turkey and has no political activity. Therefore, whether he was or was not still a member of ISIS remains unclear.

Apparently the operation lasted for around four hours, during which the Coalition launched stun grenades, “which caused a state of panic and fear among civilians living in the area.”

Furat reported that the SDF launched a ground raid operation with the support of a US-led Coalition aircraft, and that the SDF “used sound bombs in the raid, in conjunction with the flight of helicopters of the International Coalition at a low altitude, and one of the SDF military vehicles fell in an empty water canal (Al-Sarb).”

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Saber Sinjar Al-Fahd
Age unknown male killed
Sami Dilis Al-Aoun
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Saber Al-Sinjar, allegedly killed by the US-led Coalition and SDF in an airstrike or by gunshot wounds on November 30th 2021. (Image via @jamlyyyyy_)
  • Sami al-Aun, allegedly killed by the US-led Coalition and SDF in an airstrike or by gunshot wounds on November 30th 2021. (Image via @jamlyyyyy_)
  • "A military vehicle of the international coalition forces deteriorated during a raid on the house of Saber Sinjar in the city of Hajin, east of Deir Ezzor" (Twitter post by @Sada_AlSharqieh)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hajin (هجين), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.6897222, 40.83. 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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1971

Incident date

November 8, 2021

Location

فنيجين, Fenijin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.896421, 39.904919 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one man was killed, another person was injured, and four people were arrested in an alleged Coalition airstrike and Syrian Democratic Forces ground operation in Fenijin on November 8, 2021. The status of the man killed and the person injured as a civilian is contested by local sources.

Zaman Al Wasl quoted local activists who reported that Coalition airplanes carried out an airstrike on a home in Fenijin, followed by a raid by the “Democratic Union” (Syrian Democratic Forces), which resulted in the death of one person and the injury of others. They quoted Asayiş, the security arm of the Democratic Union Party, said in a statement that clashes erupted during the operation, during which one person was killed, another member of the cell was wounded, and 4 others were arrested. Asayiş alleges that the operation was carried out against an ISIS sell that intended to launch an attack on a prison.

The Syrian Press Agency reported that the Coalition airstrike and SDF raid occurred in the Abu Hasan Badia, west of the monastery, and resulted in a person named “Madlool Al-Adas” being killed. Jisr’s correspondent differed in their reporting, stating that the raid was on the home of Madlool but that the raiding forces “killed the young man, “Jassem Hammadi Al-Adas”, tied him and photographed him.

According to Furat Al Wehda, SDF forces surrounded the village and “stormed it amid heavy gunfire and supported them in air surveillance and live fire on the homes of the residents, helicopters belonging to the American occupation”.

A tweet from @VOSyria_ reported that a civilian was killed in the operation and Syrian Arab News Agency, the Syrian regime-run news agency, identified two civilians as being killed in the operations in Al Sabha and Fenijil but does not specify within these incidents. However, the majority of other sources did not identify whether the victim was a civilian or combatant and only Zaman Al Wasl specifically referred to those killed and injured as members of an ISIS cell.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A photo of Jassem Hammadi Al-Adas, killed in a Coalition/SDF operation in the village of Fenijil on November 8, 2021. (Image posted by @YusufAd76532779)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Fenijil (فنيجين), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.896421, 39.904919. 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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1970

Incident date

November 8, 2021

Location

الصبحة, Al Sabha, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.896421, 39.904919 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one man was killed in an alleged Coalition and Syrian Defense Forces airdrop operation in the town of Al-Sabha on November 8th, 2021. Sources were conflicted as to whether the man killed was a civilians or a militant.

According to Euphrates Post, the Coalition and the Syrian Defense Forces carried out an airdrop operation at dawn on November 8th, 2021, which resulted in the killing of one person and the arrest of two others.

Local sources told Euphrates that the SDF raided the house of Abdul Nahar al-Majwal (nickname Abu Jarrah), an alleged arms dealer who was shot dead while trying to escape, and arrested two of his brothers, Fahd and Suleiman. The correspondent of the Step News Agency added that Fahd’s wife was also arrested in the operation.

Eye of Euphrates reported that Abu Jarrah was smuggling weapons to the Syrian regime and that he was killed by a bullet in his chest while a tweet from @Sada_AlSharqieh mentioned that Abu Jarrah had been accused of belong to ISIS and North Press Agency referred to him as a leader of ISIS. However, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights identified Abu Jarrah’s brother as being “a former weapons merchant arrested for dealing with ISIS” without mentioning that Abu Jarrah was associated with any militant activities.

@baznewz also referred to Abu Jarrah and his brother as formerly involved with ISIS and arms smuggling. Syrian Arab News Agency also reported that the two people killed in operations in al-Sabha and Fenijil (incident CS1970) were civilians and that the three people arrested in al-Sabha were civilians.

The operation lasted from 1:30am to around 2:30am.

The incident occured at 01:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • Cause of injury / death
    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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abdul Nahar al-Majwal (nickname Abu Jarrah), an alleged arms dealer who was shot dead in the town of Al-Sabha on November 8, 2021. (Image posted by Eye of Euphrates)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Sabha (الصبحة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.896421, 39.904919. 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
    0 – 1
  • Cause of injury / death
    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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1969

Incident date

November 7, 2021

Location

جرابلس, Jarablus, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Up to three people were killed and three others were injured in alleged Coalition drone strikes in the city of Jarablus on November 7, 2021. Among the victims of the strikes, two of them were identified as being militants.

Shaam News reported that according to the “Media Office in the city of Jarablus”, an unidentified aircraft targeted a person on the outskirts of the city of Jarablus, adding that local sources suggested that the Coalition was responsible for the drone strike.

Macro Media Center identified the Coalition as being responsible, reporting that two people on a motorcycle were targeted by a drone and killed. However, Fact News reported that only one of the two people on the motorcycle were killed, and three other people were injured. Syrian Press Center gave the highest death toll, stating that three people were killed in the drone strikes.

A tweet from @IdlibCalling referred to those killed as being “militants of the Islamic State” and put the death toll at two, specifically naming field commander nicknamed Abu Abdo Al-Hamwi as among the victims while @sarihakann placed the man/men killed as belong to “Hurras al-Din” (Guardians of Religion). Baladi News reported that according to eyewitnesses, the person who was killed was wearing an explosive belt.

Fresh Syria specifically referred to the three people injured in the strikes as being civilians while the majority of sources referred to them only as “people”. The sources that mentioned militants killed or wounded only identified two of the victims as being militants, with one sources reporting that one militant was killed and one injured or that two militants were killed.

The location of the strikes was identified as being in a residential neighborhood in Jarablus, according to Fact News and Zaman Al Wasl added that the strikes occurred “near the Agricultural Bank, on the “Manbij-Jarabulus” road”.

The majority of sources identified the Coalition as being responsible for the drone strikes and Zaman Al Wasl reported that two missiles were launched from the drone. The Coalition has not yet commented on this incident. The only source that identified another possible culprit was Syria TV, which stated that one fo the possible explanations given by local sources was that the Syrian Democratic Forces could’ve bombed the city with rocket-propelled grenades, but did not provide details of which local sources provided this information.

The incident occured at approximately 5:30 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aftermath of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
  • Victim(s) of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Location of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Location of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Victim(s) of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021 bring taken away by White Helmets. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • One of the victim(s) of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by @IdlibCalling)
  • The location of the alleged Coalition strikes on a deserted gas station in Jarablus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by @Almohrar1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the victim(s) of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by @Almohrar1)
  • One of the victim(s) of an alleged Coalition drone strike in the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by @Almohrar1)
  • White Helmets cover the body of one of the victims of strikes on the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by Jesr Press)
  • Debris from the strikes on the city of Jarabulus on November 7, 2021. (Image posted by @sarihakann)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1968

Incident date

October 27, 2021

Location

الصبحة, Al Sabha, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.896421, 39.904919 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A male civilian, co-chair of the Deir Ezzor Civil Council, was shot and killed by alleged Coalition forces and/or Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in on October 27, 2021.

According to a tweet from @Sada_AlSharqieh, a media organization covering Eastern Syria, Samer Al-Abdullah, the co-chair of the Deir Ezzor Civil Council, in charge of running the affairs of the Health Committee in the Council, was killed in an airdrop operation carried out by the Coalition forces and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

@DeirEzzor24 reported that Samer Al-Abdullah was killed by mistake when SDF forces were searching for a wanted person, adding that Samer was a member of the Future Syria Party affiliated with the administration.

The correspondent of the “Ein al-Furat” network said that the SDF Asayish carried out a landing operation to arrest a person named Shayesh al-Hassan. “When al-Hassan fled, the deputy co-presidency of the Deir Ezzor Civil Council, in charge of the affairs of the Health Committee, left his house, thinking that the shooting was on his house and that he should flee from it, which prompted the Asayish forces to shoot him, killing him instantly.” @baznewz named the target of the operation to be the sons of “Salem al-Baghdeh,” Abu Younis, a leader in the Islamic State.

However, @humam_isa reported that the shooting came after misleading information reached the Coalition forces. @Sada_AlSharqieh tweeted that Samer Al-Abdullah had been threatened by several parties who wanted him to leave work in the Civil Council and Nedaa Post stated that the SDF had arrested other members of the council. Ida2at even added that there were accusations that the SDF intended to kill Samer and it was part of an “assassination operation”. The “Al-Shaitat official” page quoted a source as saying that “Al-Abdullah is an educated person who knows that anyone who goes out during a raid or landing operation is targeted, and therefore he will not put himself at risk to look at the raid, which makes it likely that the cadres will arrange the operation to get rid of him.”

Sources were conflicted as to what time the event occurred, with @EuphratesPost pinpointing the raid to dawn while Jisr TV reported that the shooting occurred in the evening.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Samer Al-Abdullah سامر العبد الله
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    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 (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Samer Al-Abdullah, the co-chair of the Deir Ezzor Civil Council, killed in an alleged Coalition airdrop operation on October 27, 2021. (Image posted by @Sada_AlSharqieh)
  • Samer Al-Abdullah, the co-chair of the Deir Ezzor Civil Council, killed in an alleged Coalition airdrop operation on October 27, 2021. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • The official in the Civil Council of the "Self-Administration", Samer Al-Abdullah, was killed "by mistake", during a raid carried out by the international coalition forces and "SDF" near his house in a town in Deir ez-Zor governorate, targeting ISIS cells. (Image posted by @AsharqNewsSYR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of Samer Al-Abdullah, the co-chair of the Deir Ezzor Civil Council, killed in an alleged Coalition airdrop operation on October 27, 2021. (Image posted by @baznewz)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Sabha (الصبحة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.896421, 39.904919. 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)
  • Cause of injury / death
    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 (28) [ 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

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

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

CS1966

Incident date

October 16, 2021

Location

الزر, Al Zir, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.12527, 40.42864 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one young man was killed in a Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces operation in the village of Al Zir on October 16, 2021.

According to Euphrates Post, five people were arrested in a security operation carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with the support of the Coalition: Muhammad Khader Al-Rathi, Ayman Khader Al-Rathi, Moamen Khidr Al-Rathi, Jawad Ali Al-Ahmad Al-Khalaf, Moaz Ali Al-Ahmad Al-Khalaf. A man named Abdullah Ayad al-Khater, 25 years old, was also killed during the raid.

Step News Agency identified two young men as being killed in the raid after being shot by SDF forces.

Al Khabour News added the name Abdelwahab Ghanem Al-Rudaini to the list of people that were arrested during the raid and @humam_isa added the name Thaer Ghanem Al-Rudaini.

Zaytoun Agency reported that the SDF and Coalition forces raided the village of Al Zir “under the pretext of pursuing ISIS cells”, entering the village with a convoy of more than 20 armored vehicles with air cover from the Coalition. Civilian Abdullah Ayad al-Khater was said to be killed for violating the curfew that was imposed on residents and overall, 120 people were arrested and some of them were arrested while others were held for interrogation.

Syrian Documentation Center detailed that the “SDF gunmen deliberately shot a person who was standing near the house, which led to his death instantly”, adding that the SDF did not comment or explain why they killed the civilian who was not trying to escape or resist arrest.

Syrian Arab News Agency identified the man that was killed as being a civilian and added that 10 of the village’s locals were arrested and taken to a nearby location. Al-Tariq News put the number of people arrested in the raids at eight while Step News Agency added that 10 minors under the age of 18 were among those arrested and that the detainees were severely beaten before they were tied up and transported by the Coalition helicopters.

The Coalition has not released a statement on this incident.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • 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
    Syrian Democratic Forces, US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Image of Abdullah Ayad al-Khater, killed during a raid by Coalition and SDF forces on October 16, 2021. (Image posted by the Syrian Network for Human Rights)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Zir (الزر), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.12527, 40.42864. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

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

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition 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 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • 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
    Syrian Democratic Forces, US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (22) [ 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]