US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

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

Incident Code

CS196

Incident date

April 4, 2016

Location

كنان سلطان, Kinan Sultan, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.506922, 40.721781 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A civilian water worker was reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike at Kinan Sultan.

According to Balad News, “A source confirmed that Coalition aircraft targeted drinking water tankers which led to the martyrdom of the citizen Ayman Khader Al Ali, who works on water transport in the southern rural areas Hassakah.”

In their February 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that the allegation provided insufficient information on the timing and location of the strike to make a determination.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ayman Khader Al Ali
Adult male Works on water transport in the southern rural areas Hassakah. killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the southern countryside of Hassaka (الحسكة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.506922, 40.721781. 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
    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

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020

  • April 4, 2016, in Hasakah, Syria, via Airwars report. The allegation provided insufficient detail to identify a specific date, time, or location to search for corroborating Coalition action. 2928/CS196 No MGRS Given

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reported for April 3rd-4th 2016 that “Near Al Hasakah, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI215

Incident date

April 5, 2016

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

A likely targeted operation in Mosul killed ISIL’s media chief in the city when his car was struck – but also reportedly slew his wife and five children.

The nighttime attack reportedly killed Daesh ‘Media Minister’ Abdel Qader in his car in the vicinity of the city’s Saddam Hospital. However, according to NRN News, “his wife and five of his children were with him in the car at the moment of the bombing.”

Responding to a request for clarification about possible RAF involvement given declared strikes at Mosul that day, the UK MoD told Airwars: “There is no credible indication of potential UK involvement” in the alleged events of April 5th.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (5 children1 woman)
  • 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]

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 Coalition reports that for April 5th-6th 2016: “Near Mosul, seven strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL financial storage center, and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL supply caches, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL command and control node, and three ISIL assembly areas.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (5 children1 woman)
  • 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]

Incident Code

CI216

Incident date

April 5, 2016

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 the third reported civilian casualty event of the day, seven civilians from the same family including children and women were reported killed after Coalition jets allegedly targeted an ISIL-occupied house but missed, instead striking the next door house.

The attack reportedly took place in the Engineers neighbourhood of west Mosul, and the Daesh militants targeted were said to be Chinese in origin.

Ara News cited local journalist Raafat Alzerara: “The missile landed on the house next door, killing a whole family of seven people… the shelling did not cause any damage to the Chinese ISIL fighters who survived the incident and evacuated the immediate area for fear of being targeted again.”

Responding to a request for clarification about possible RAF involvement given declared strikes at Mosul that day, the UK MoD told Airwars: “There is no credible indication of potential UK involvement” in the alleged events of April 5th.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports that for April 5th-6th 2016: “Near Mosul, seven strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL financial storage center, and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL supply caches, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL command and control node, and three ISIL assembly areas.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI217

Incident date

April 5, 2016

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.36464, 43.13968 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In what may be the same incident as CI216 or CI218 – or a separate targeted killing operation – the US revealed three weeks after the event that a strike on an ‘ISIL finance emir’ had also killed a woman civilian. Three months later CENTCOM revealed two additional civilian deaths in the event.

General Peter E. Gersten, deputy commander for operations and intelligence for the Coalition, also revealed that US aircraft had detonated a Hellfire missile above the house as a ‘warning’ to civilians inside to leave.

“He was the major distributor of funds to Daesh fighters,” CNN reported Gersten as saying. “We watched him come and go from his house, we watched his supplies, we watched the security that was involved in it. And we also watched occasionally a female and her children in and out of the quarters…We went as far as actually to put a Hellfire on top of the building and air-burst it so it wouldn’t destroy the building, simply knock on the roof to ensure that she and the children were out of the building… And then we proceeded with our operations.”

But the tactic failed according to CNN citing Gersten: “We watched her and observed her leaving the building. And she cleared the building, and we began to process the strike.” But then, he said, she ran back in the building. It was “very difficult for us to watch, and it was within the final seconds of the actual impact,” Gersten recalled.”

In a statement issued July 28th 2016, CENTCOM noted: “On April 5, 2016, in Mosul, Iraq, during a strike on an ISIL financial storage facility, it is assessed that three civilians were killed.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (0–2 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest city at 36.34585235, 43.09857692

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    3
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF331260
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 28, 2016

  • during a strike on an ISIL financial storage facility, it is assessed that three civilians were killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports that for April 5th-6th 2016: “Near Mosul, seven strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL financial storage center, and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL supply caches, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL command and control node, and three ISIL assembly areas.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (0–2 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS197

Incident date

April 5, 2016

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A former Syrian table tennis champion and national coach named as Mukhles Ismaeil Khreaban was reported by VDC as having died “Due to coalition air force’s shelling.”

The Public Committee for Sports and Youth in Syria later published a detailed obituary: “The teacher Mukhles Khreiban was martyred yesterday on Tuesday evening in the province of Idlib in a raid by an unmanned drone accroding to information received from Idlib. Mukhles Khreiban was born in 1953 … he was a member of the Syrian world championship team and participated in the 1980 world championship in Korea .. He worked nationally as a coach and was number one in the game. Many of the stars of football were trained by him. He also worked as a member of the Technical Committee of Table Tennis in the province and was a former member of the trainers committee for the Syrian Table Tennis Federation.. His son has been detained in Assad’s prisons for nearly 4 years. He has four boys and three girls. The Public Committee for Sports and Youth in Syria extends heartfelt condolences to the family of the martyr hero, We belong to God and to Him we return.”

In their June 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that the allegation provided insufficient information on the timing and location of the strike to make a determination.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mukhles Ismaeil Khreaban
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Mukhles Ismaeil Khreaban (via VDC)
  • Mukhles Ismaeil Khreaban (via The Public Committee for Sports and Youth in Syria).

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SBV867775
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020

  • Apr. 5, 2016, in Idlib, Syria, via Airwars report. The report contains insufficient information of the time, location, or details to assess its credibility. 2929/CS197 37SBV867775

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

No strikes were publicly reported in the vicinity for April 4th-5th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI218

Incident date

April 6, 2016

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

Locals claimed five civilians including three children were killed and four or more people injured, after Coalition jets allegedly targeted Al Waldy clothing plant in the Al Shifa neighbourhood of eastern Mosul.

NRN News published a detailed report: “Our correspondent said that the bombing killed five people consisting of a family (three children with a father and mother) who lived in the backyard… Daesh used the factory to make uniforms for military fighters and to sew their black banners.”

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An image reveals the destruction that followed an alleged coalition airstrike on Al Waldy clothing plant in the Al Shifa neighbourhood of eastern Mosul on April 6th (via NRN News)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF293239
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020

  • April 6, 2016, in Mosul, Iraq, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2919/CI218 38SLF293239

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports that for April 5th-6th 2016: “Near Mosul, seven strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL financial storage center, and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL supply caches, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL command and control node, and three ISIL assembly areas.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI219

Incident date

April 6, 2016

Location

حاج علي, Haj Ali, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.734251, 43.3181477 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources claimed “dozens of civilians” including children and women were killed or injured after Coalition or Iraq government jets targeted Haj Ali village in Qayyarah south of Mosul.

While most social media reports blamed the Iraqi military for the event, others blamed the Coalition or both. Yaqen, for example, said it was a joint ground and air assault: “Intense Coalition and Iraq government airstrikes bombed Haj Ali, a village near Qayyarah south of Mosul, along with government shelling by heavy artillery and rocket attacks. This resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.”

Some linked the casualties to military impatience at the slow rate of the campaign to liberate Mosul.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    30
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reports for April 5th-6th 2016 that “Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    30
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS199

Incident date

April 7, 2016

Location

جرابلس, Jarablus, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.818378, 38.010343 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Syrian Observatory, reported that “no less than 13 IS [fighters] were killed by aerial bombardment by the Coalition warplanes in Jarablus, in addition to four detainees were also killed during the same airstrikes.”

The Observatory’s Arabic-language report said the detainees were carrying out as punishment duty the digging of trenches for ISIS around the city of Jarablus.

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDA117751
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • April 7, 2016, in Jarablus, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2943/CS199 37SDA117751

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For April 6th-7th 2016, the Coalition reported the following for Aleppo governorate: “Near Mar’a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.”

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]