Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

LC221

Incident date

October 17, 2019

Location

بئر التوتة, Bi'r Altota, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.674722, 13.241944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilian casualties were reported because of indiscriminate shelling on the Bi’r Altota neighbourhood of Qasr Bin Gashir.

Tk Yahroug Kl Shy said: “The house of Amer al-Fires in Bir al-Touta area was hit by indiscriminate shells, causing civilian casualties.”

There is currently no other information available.

Local reports point at the GNA or LNA as the perpetrator of the shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Bi’r Altota (بئر التوتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.674722, 13.241944. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Bi’r Altota (بئر التوتة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Government of National Accord Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Government of National Accord
  • Government of National Accord position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI529

Incident date

March 10, 2017

Location

اليرموك, Mosul, Yarmouk, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.336804, 43.083396 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local press and residents, as well as al-Amaq (ISIL) press sources, said that Coalition shelling had targeted several neighborhoods at the right side of Mosul, especially near apartments in Al-Yarmouk neighbourhood, with munitions equipped with controversial White Phosphorus. No civilian casualties were reported.

Iraqi Spring posted a video on Facebook of al-Amaq agency [ISIL], showing “the effects of the US phosphorus bombing, which targeted residential neighborhoods near the Yarmouk Apartments in the right side of # Mosul city.”

Urgent Mosul News also reported heavy shelling by warplanes in the neighbourhood, but unlike all other sources, did not identify them as being Coalition aircraft.

A Bellingcat investigation later concluded: “The international US-led Coalition appears to have used white phosphorous (WP) munitions in their battle against the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Mosul, Iraq, based on a video posted online by an IS-linked propaganda outlet. It is known that the US has used WP in Iraq, and while aware of the video, the Coalition neither confirmed or denied the specific use of WP in Mosul. It has not been possible to establish whether civilians were present at the targeted site, but when WP is used in residential neighbourhood the tactical military advantage may well be outweighed the stigma of using WP in civilian areas, as a Human Rights Watch employee stated earlier. While the statement was made in the context of attacks, it also holds for other usages of WP. No multimedia or textual information could be found hinting towards civilian injuries or casualties due to the alleged use of WP.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Bellingcat geolocated the March 10th 2017 use of white phosphorous against ISIL in urban Mosul
  • Video reposted by Airwars researcher Christiaan Triebert to Twitter
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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For March 9th-10th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area; destroyed 11 vehicles, nine mortar systems, eight fighting positions, five VBIEDs, two medium machine guns, two roadblocks, two watercraft, an anti-air artillery system, a supply cache, an ammunition cache, and a recoilless rifle; damaged 15 supply routes; and suppressed 10 mortar teams.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS353

Incident date

October 17, 2019

Location

كوباني, Qamishli, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.889165, 38.353649 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including a child were wounded in alleged Turkish shelling of Qamishli, according to sources on the ground, while the Kurdish Red Crescent reported that five civilians were injured.

Hawarnews reported: “Three Turkish civilians were wounded in the bombardment of the occupied Turkish state and gangs in the neighborhoods of Qamishlo. The invading Turkish state bombed Qamişlo’s Qinat Siwês and Meyselûn neighborhoods with artillery shots in the evening. Eight-year-old Reha Fehed, Nîdal Mihemed Zekî and Mihemed Salih Abdullah were injured in the bombing of the neighborhoods where tens of thousands of civilians lived.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Reha Fehed
8 years old injured
Nîdal Mihemed Zekî
Age unknown Name possibly Nidal Ebrahim according to KRC, age 46 injured
Mihemed Salih Abdullah
Age unknown injured
Abdulfattah Esmail al Ali,
20 years old male injured
Hussein al Sayer
25 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "The occupying Turkish state bombed Qamishlo's Qinat Siwês and Meyselûn neighborhoods with artillery shots. In the bombing, 8-year-old Reha Fehed and Nîdal Mihemed Zekî and Mihemed Salih Abdullah civilians were injured."
  • 9th to 30th of october doc

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Qamishli (كوباني), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.889165, 38.353649. 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

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC155a

Incident date

June 23, 2019

Location

قصر بن غشير, Qasr Bin Gashir, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.688716, 13.173889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was indirectly killed as a result of a GNA airstrike on Qasr Bin Gashir, according to Amnesty International.

The human rights NGO said in a detailed field investigation: “In a residential area of Qasr Bin Ghashir, two consecutive air strikes destroyed two one-storey houses in the same area in the afternoon of 23 June 2019. One house was empty, but the other was occupied by the al-Dubi family. Twenty-eight-year-old Iman Ramadhan was severely injured and lost her foot. Her uncle told Amnesty International:

‘We were at home, the family, including my 96-year-old mother; we were in the kitchen, which opened into a small internal courtyard. I looked up and saw the plane travelling from west to east; I thought it was going to bomb somewhere far away but at that moment the strike happened. The bomb hit our home. I could not see anything or breathe, there was thick dust or smoke, like a curtain. My mother fainted and never recovered from the shock and died 25 days later, and my sister’s daughter sustained horrific injuries and lost her foot. In addition our home is completely destroyed; we have lost everything. Why are they bombing families in their homes? What reason can there be to do to such a thing? Who will help us now?'”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Iman Ramadhan
28 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Qasr Bin Gashir (قصر بن غشير), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.688716, 13.173889. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Government of National Accord Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Government of National Accord
  • Government of National Accord position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS377

Incident date

October 31, 2019

Location

تالوارد, Tal Ward, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.798839, 40.341969 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were killed and five others injured in an alleged attack by Turkey-backed militants on Tal Ward in Zirgan town – Ras Al Ain in Hasaka governorate, on October 31st, 2019, according to local sources.

@Raman_Hassi reported that Ibrahim Mohammed Khalaf (60) and his wife Tofaha Ali Saleh (55) were both killed in the attack. One of their relatives, Mehmud Mihemed Khalaf, was also killed, according to ANF. Sources reported five other people were wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Ibrahim Mohammed Khalaf
60 years old male husband of Tofaha Ali Saleh killed
Tofaha Ali Saleh
55 years old female wife of Ibrahim Mohammed Khalaf killed
Mehmud Mihemed Khalaf
38 years old male killed

The victims were named as:

hmed Taha Mensur
40 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 attackers
    Turkish Military, Free Syrian Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Tofaha Ali Saleh was killed in an alleged artillery attack by Turkey-backed militants on Tal Ward - Hasaka on October 31st 2019 (via @Gasteci_Eskin)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ibrahim Mohammed Khalaf was killed together with his wife Tofaha Ali Saleh in alleged Turkish shelling on the town of Tal Ward on October 31st, 2019 (via @Raman_Hassi).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Tofaha Ali Saleh was killed together with her husband Ibrahim Mohammed Khalaf in alleged Turkish shelling on the town of Tal Ward on October 31st, 2019 (via @Raman_Hassi).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tal Ward (تالوارد), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.798839, 40.341969. 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

Free Syrian Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Free Syrian Army
  • Free Syrian Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 attackers
    Turkish Military, Free Syrian Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4126

Incident date

November 1, 2019

Location

بلدات متعددة, Several towns in Idlib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

The Shaam News Network reported: “Russian warplanes launched airstrikes amid artillery and rocket shelling targeting villages and towns of Maarat Harma, Umm Jalal, Rakaya, Kafarsijnah, Hazarin, Sheikh Mustafa, Naqir, Dahabiya, Hish, Tahitaya, Musharrafa, Damama and Marand, which resulted in a number of civilian casualties.”

Further research did not find any civilian casualties in the cities mentioned. No other details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS635

Incident date

March 28, 2017

Location

Tabaqah, al Nabablah, Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.826646, 38.54559

Airwars assessment

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

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

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

Declassified Assessment Press Release

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.

Incident Code

RS4149

Incident date

November 8, 2019

Location

النيرب, Al Neirab, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.86955, 36.71867 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was killed and up to four civilians, including two children, were injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near Al Neirab town, Idlib governorate, on November 8th, 2019, according to local sources.

Edlib Media Center reported that a child was killed and four others were injured “following the targeting of a Russian occupation flight yesterday evening” on a refugee camp near Al Neirab. The Syrian Network for Human Rights identified the victim as Rahaf Shalash, from Abu Al Thuhour village.

Shaam News reported that “activists said that Russian warplanes targeted electricity warehouses near the town of Neirab at night, which were inhabited by displaced families, and targeted a gathering of tents in the same area, leaving a child martyr and a number of wounded”. Step News reported that among the wounded were two children and in a tweet, @Step_Agency posted about “the injury of a civilian and two children.”

The Smart News Agency added that “a man and his family, including children” were wounded.

All of the sources attributed the strikes to Russia and in a tweet from @Pressrahhal, “double raids” were identified as being carried out.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Rahaf Shalash رهف شلاش
Child female displaced child from Abu al Thuhour town killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (18) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child Rahaf Shlash was killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th, 2019 (via SN4HR).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via IdlibPlus).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via IdlibPlus).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via IdlibPlus).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via IdlibPlus).
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Photo of the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on a refugee camp near the town of Al Neirab on November 8th 2019 (via MMC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]