US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

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Incident Code

CS031

Incident date

November 25, 2014

Location

بنش, Binnish, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.958429, 36.711587 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

There were claims that a ‘civilian male’, named as Dergham Karah Ali, was killed in a Coalition airstrike on the village of Binnish in Idlib governorate.

However, two videos later emerged challenging Ali’s non-combatant status. One showed him singing a moderate resistance song.

The second video, posted by Islamic State, indicated that Ali had later become a fighter for ISIS, using the nom de guerre of Abu Hammam.

In its monthly civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year, the Coalition assessed the event as ‘non credible’, noting that “November 25, 2014, in Binnish, 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.”

Coalition officials also provided Airwars with a geolocation to within 100 metres of the area reviewed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Dergham Karah Ali
Adult male Probable combatant though named by some sources as a non combatant killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Video showing Dergham Ali singing a resistance song.
  • Another video of Dergham Ali singing.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    in Binnish, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SBV936818
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019

  • November 25, 2014, in Binnish, 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

No coalition airstrikes were officially reported as occurring in Idlib governorate between November 24th-26th 2014.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS032

Incident date

December 2, 2014

Location

المريعية, Marbaʼīyah, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.2726894, 40.2245951 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilian males, both residents of the village of Al-Mrey’iya, were reported by SOHR to have been killed in a coalition airstrike. They were named as Hassan Al Ali Al Zahiya and Moyyed Mohammad Al Assaf.

The Committee for the Defence of Democracy, Freedoms and Human Rights also named the two men as civilians – but said that Moyyed Mohammad Al Assaf was killed in an airstrike at Al Shadadi on December 1st, while Hassan Al Ali Al Zahiya was reportedly “killed in the ‘countryside of Deir Ezzor” the following day.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hassan Al Ali Al Zahiya
Adult male Listed by Syrian Martyrs killed
Moyyed Mohammad Al Assaf
Adult male Listed by Syrian Martyrs killed

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 (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al-Mrey’iya, Deir Ezzor (المريعية), for which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 35.2726894, 40.2245951. 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near al-Mrey’iyah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2018

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The coalition has confirmed airstrikes in the vicinity between December 3rd-5th 2014, though has not conceded any non-combatant casualties: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, an airstrike destroyed three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL excavator and struck a ISIL training camp.” Between December 1st-3rd, the coalition has only publicly reported airstrikes for the Kobane area.

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

Incident Code

CI020

Incident date

December 9, 2014

Location

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.3532137, 43.7875674 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 9 civilians were reported killed and 32 injured in what NINA described as a “coalition airstrike” on people queuing for fuel in the city.

On the following day Al Jazeera, Rudaw, NINA and Mobtaba all described attacks on the districts of “Al Jolan north of the city, Nizal in the centre of the city and The Shuhada’a and Al Tamim neighbourhoods in the South” as being the work of Iraq Army heavy artillery.

An internal CENTCOM investigation reported that the Coalition was not responsible for the incident: “There were no airstrikes in Fallujah on 09 December. There were two airstrikes in Ramadi on 08 and 09 December… neither against vehicle and area depicted in video.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    32
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:5:"other";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Fallujah, Iraq, al Jolan neighbourhood
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015

  • Youtube video showing mangled truck and dead and injured. Video mentions bombing and only refereNe to airstrike is in the title page. FIR provided. There were no airstrikes in Fallujah on 09 December.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    32
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS033

Incident date

December 11, 2014

Location

مسكنة, Jirah Military Airbase, al Maskana, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.0962736, 37.9406834 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A shepherd boy aged 10, 14 or 15, and named as Muhammad Qasim (or sometimes Mohammed Abd al Kareem), was reportedly killed in a coalition airstrike on a nearby Islamic State military base.

An investigation by the Syrian Network for Human Rights later concluded: “Around 2:45 in the afternoon an international alliance warplane raided over Al-Jarrah military airbase located on Al-Maskaneh – Deir Hafr road in eastern Aleppo countryside, which is under ISIS command. The shelling of the airbase surroundings killed a shepherd who was a child.” According to the monitoring group the flock of sheep was owned by the boy’s brother, a member of Islamic State.

An eyewitness told SN4HR that he had visited the family immediately following the air strike: “The parents told me that the boy was sitting near one of the buildings that was targeted inside the airport, and which led to the injury of his head by shrapnel metal and that it almost entirely crushed his head. His parents then buried him in the village after they received the body from ISIS fighters who also lost fighters to death because of the raids, but I do not know the number.”

 

The incident occured at 14:45:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Qasim
Child male Listed by Syrian Martyrs killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

The Syria Network for Human Rights reports that an alleged “Coalition aircraft bombed the Al-Jarah military airport and its surroundings with three missiles, which caused the death of a child who was sitting near one of the buildings that had been targeted within the airport.” The coordinates for the Jirah Military Airbase (الجيرة القاعدة الجوية) are: 36.0962736, 37.9406834

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Maskhanah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2018

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

One coalition event between December 10th-12th 2014 appears to match the incident: “Near Aleppo, an airstrike struck five ISIL-occupied buildings.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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

CS034

Incident date

December 12, 2014

Location

كشيش, Kashish, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.5044792, 40.74354

Airwars assessment

Two unnamed civilian males were reported by a single source to have been killed in a coalition airstrike on the village of Kashish,

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Kashish, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2018

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

No coalition airstrikes have officially been reported as taking place in Al Hassakah governorate, for either December 10th-12th, or for December 12th-15th 2014.

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI021

Incident date

December 13, 2014

Location

الرمادي, Ramadi, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.437441, 43.286666 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an event previously unreported by Airwars, Coalition reported an unspecified open source as publishing a picture of a dead child “without any identification of original location”.

According to provisional analysis “There was one airstrike in Ramadi on 13 December (strike #1266) which was unlikely to have caused the death.” No further action was recorded by CENTCOM.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    a:1:{i:0;s:5:"other";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Fallujah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015

  • Pictures show dead child without any identification of original location. There was one airstrike in Ramadi on 13 Dec (Strike #1266) which was unlikely to have caused the death.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI022

Incident date

December 16, 2014

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 an event previously unreported by Airwars, an internal Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) reported “4 unknown persons potentially injured while moving into the engagement area,” during a Coalition airstrike on Objective Nebula, a targeted vehicle.

France later confirmed that it had carried out a targeted strike in Mosul on that date, though it is not presently clear whether this was the incident in question.

A subsequent review of full motion video from the event showed that “the 4 individuals in question eventually fled the scene of the strike.” It was also noted that there were no subsequent media reports of casualties.

However, given the potential risk to civilians during the event, CENTCOM also reported that “TF [Task Force] is still conducting an investigation into decisions made relating to the strike.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (4 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    a:1:{i:0;s:5:"other";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015

  • BDA on strike on named objective (Nebula). FMV received; storyboard received. Initial BDA was 4 unknown persons potentially injured while moving into engagement area. TF assessed the allegation not to be credible based on a review of all source intel. Review of FMV showed that the 4 individuals in question eventually fled the scene of the strike. XXX indicated that the only persons killed or injured were those in the targeted vehicle. No reflections of ClVCAS received through XXX and media reports. However, TF is still conducting an investigation into decisions made related to the strike.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • (4 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI023

Incident date

December 21, 2014

Location

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.3532137, 43.7875674 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman and child may have been injured in a major Australian airstrike at Fallujah on December 21st 2014, according to an internal CENTCOM assessment. The pre-planned attack was focused on a’suspected weapons factory’ in the city. However, 10 minutes after the last bomb had been dropped by an Australian aircraft, “a probable female and probable child were observed on FMV [full motion video] to walk through the target area.”

As the overhead observation continued, the child was taken by motorbike to Fallujah hospital, while the woman “walked to the median strip on the road and lay down, and was not observed any further.”

Despite the apparent seriousness of the report, both CENTCOM and the Australian military concluded that “there is insufficient information to warrant further inquiry.” According to a declassified internal report, “The lack of urgency and fact that the child walked apparently normally suggested his injuries were not life-threatening.”

While its aircraft were not implicated by CENTCOM’s internal assessment, Canada also reported being a part of the mission which attacked the Fallujah facility (see below.)

Multiple civilian fatalities were in fact reported at Fallujah that night, with BBC Arabic describing medical sources at the city’s main hospital as “receiving 13 bodies and seven wounded, including women and children who fell during the incessant shelling.” The casualties were attributed both to the Iraqi military and to “air strikes launched by the international coalition on the city of Fallujah on Sunday night (21st) and until dawn Monday,targeting places where IS fighters are believed to be.” Al Ghad instead reported eight fatalities from Coalition strikes in the wider region that day.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 13
  • (2–8 children)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015

  • Two unknown individuals may have been wounded as a result of a deliberate strike conducted by the Austrlians on a suspected weapons factory in Fallujah. The female walked to the median strip on the road and lay down, and was not observed any further. // Assessed to be insufficient information to determine CIVCAS.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

COALITION-ASSESSED INCIDENT

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 13
  • (2–8 children)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]