Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

TS176

Incident date

February 9, 2018

Location

شكفاتي وتوميشا, Shakfati and Tormmisha village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.527674, 36.655691

Airwars assessment

According to a signal source, an unidentified number of civilians were killed followed an alleged Turkish air strike on Shakfati and Tormmisha village, Afrin.

Rumaf reported that At 16:00 on Friday, the Turkish invasion aircraft shelled the village of Shakfati and Tormisha, where it later emerged that the air invasion had committed a massacre against a family, destroying its home. The bodies were recovered at night when air strikes subsided.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS208

Incident date

February 17, 2018

Location

سرنجاك و كوبلاكا, Sarinjak and Kuplaka, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.723889, 36.911944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to several local sources, one woman and one man died in an alleged Turkish shelling of Sarinjak and Kuplaka, Syria.

According to Rumaf, since the morning hours, the villages of Sarinjak and Kublka have been subjected to heavy shelling. The primary result is the fall of a woman and a man and the wounding of others. The shelling continues.

Afrin Today reported no deaths though said that a female 51-year-old, was wounded by an artillery shell that hit her house in the village of Koblaka in the Shiran area.

Other sources also reported the death of a woman and a man.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A picture shows the same victim (Fikret Elî Hesen), 51 years old wounded following an alleged Turkish shelling on Sarinjak and Kuplaka (Source: IC Afrin Resistance)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture of Fikret Ali Hassan who was wounded following an alleged Turkish shelling on Sarinjak and Kuplaka (Source: Afrin Today)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another picture that shows the same victim (Fikret Elî Hesen) being treated at the midical care after she wounded following an alleged Turkish shelling on Sarinjak and Kuplaka (Source: IC Afrin Resistance)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sarinjak and Kuplaka (سرنجاك و كوبلاكا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.723889, 36.911944. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS866

Incident date

May 26, 2017

Location

جورة السوس, Jourat al Sous, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “two civilians from the same family were killed in when the international Coalition warplanes fired on Jourat al Sous in the northern outskirts of Raqqa city.”

No further details are currently available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

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

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

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Jourat al Sous, 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 May 25th-26th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, nine strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, three vehicles, a tactical vehicle, and a mortar system.“
For May 26th-27th, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged 11 ISIS tactical units; destroyed seven vehicles, five fighting positions, three tunnels, an ISIS headquarters and an ISIS staging area."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2686

Incident date

November 6, 2017

Location

المتوسطة, Mutawasita, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.591959, 36.980689 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and four others were injured in airstrikes which hit al Mutwasta, according to local media. The sources have attribute the blame to Russia.

One source reported that “the explosion of a mine during the dismantling of the remnants of a previous bombing by the Russian occupation airliner in the village of al Mutwasta in rural Idlib Eastern led to the death  of “woman and her son” and injuring four others from the same family”.

The other published footage and reported on how the Civil Defence worked to dig victims from the rubble following the “targeting of civilian homes by military aircraft”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Victims are pulled from the rubble in the aftermath of the raid, 6th November 2017. (via @SyriaCivilDefe)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS032

Incident date

October 9, 2015

Location

التمانعة, Al Tamana’h, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.457626, 36.750314 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed in Al-Tamana’h. While the Violations Documentation Center attributed the deaths to Russian aircraft, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they were killed as a result of actions by Syrian regime helicopters.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fedaa Abdulrazzaq al-Najjar
Adult male originally from Khan Shaykhun, killed in al-Tamana'ah killed
Zeinab Aamer al-Bakri
Adult female originally from Khan Shaykhun, killed in al-Tamana'ah killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Tamani’ah (التمانعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.457626, 36.750314. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia did not publicly report any strikes in Idlib governorate for October 9th-10th 2015: “In the course of the last 24 hours, the main objects for engagement were militants’ command and communication centres, ammunition depots, bases and training camps of terrorists in the Raqqah, Hamah, Damascus and Aleppo provinces.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3618

Incident date

April 17, 2019

Location

أبو حبّة, Abu Habba, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A number of civilians were killed and wounded when artillery and rockets struck the Al Zohour Primary School and civilian homes in Abu Habba village in Deir Ezzor, partially destroying the school building and fence, according to sources on the ground.

The Macro Media Center reported that one civilian was killed and several children injured. Other local sources said that not one but two civilians were killed in the attack. A total of five to six civilians were reported wounded, including at least one child and a woman, according to Smart News.

According to Smart News, “a doctor, Abdul-Muhsin al-Sourani, said that four [of the wounded civilians] – with light to moderate injuries, were treated to a hospital in the city, where they were given the necessary help”. The source added that “Idlib and northern Hama are under frequent artillery and rocket fire by the regime and Russia.”

Amongst other sources, Smart News blamed the Russian forces, while others such as the Syrian Network for Human Rights claimed the Syrian regime forces were to blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The remains of the Al Zohour Primary School in Abu Habba after an alleged Russian strike on the building on April 17th (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).
  • According to the reporter in the video, Syrian regime forces struck the town of Abu Habba with 60 missiles, 15 of them struck the Al Zohour Primary School on April 17th (via Orient News).
  • According to the reporter in the video, six people were wounded when Syrian regime forces struck the town of Abu Habba on April 17th (via Orient News).
  • A school in the village of Abu Habba was damaged in alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on April 17th, 2019 (via SNHR).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1151a

Incident date

July 3, 2017

Location

الحسينية, Al Hussainiya, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.358711, 40.151682 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Coalition airstrikes allegedly struck the towns of Al Husseiniya, Baghiliya, Mara’iyah around the same time. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that International Coalition warplanes shelled areas in Al-Husseiniya, killing two men in in Al-Husseiniya and wounding an unknown number of others.

Not other details are known.

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 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
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV046134
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020

  • July 3, 2017, in Al Hussainiya, 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. 3119/CS1151a 37SFV046134

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes consisting of 31 engagements against ISIS targets. Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed an ISIS well-head.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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

RS160

Incident date

November 17, 2015

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The VDC and Aleppo Eyewitness reported that two named non-combatant men were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike in Al Bab. However, Syrian Martyrs and the Damascus Centre for Human Rights blamed the Assad regime. Other sources simply blamed ‘warplanes.’

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ammar al-Hamad
Adult male killed
Mustafa al-Reene
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia reports carrying out cruise missile strikes in Aleppo governorate on November 17th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]