Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

CS1299

Incident date

July 29, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, near Raqqah, Syria, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.94637, 39.00776 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the death of a civilian in an event near Raqqa.

Their October 2017 civilian casualty report noted: “During a Coalition strike that engaged an ISIS tactical unit, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed.”

Coalition officials told Airwars that their report referred to this incident.

In July 2019 the Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

This incident may be related to CS1295, however there is not enough locational detail in that allegation to tell.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest city at 35.9505639, 39.0094148

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
    1
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV007780
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017

  • July 29, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via self-report. During a Coalition strike that engaged an ISIS tactical unit, it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For July 29th – 30th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, eight strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed seven fighting positions and three vehicles.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM083

Incident date

July 29, 2017

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

2.25045, 44.69117 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On November 17th, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported actions, which included this strike.

An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal “is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities.” It therefore did not proactively release information about all of its strikes. It was limited to confirming or denying US operations took place when asked directly for those strikes that were not cleared to be reported in press releases.

The spokesperson would not say specifically where the attacks hit, telling the Bureau the best they could say was all the unreported strikes were conducted in southern Somalia, “for operational security reasons”.

However, in a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM confirmed it had struck what it says was an al Shabaab leader (“an al-Shabaab named objective”), in the vicinity of Tortoroow on July 29th 2017.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike occurred in Southern Somalia, in the vicinity of the village of Tortoroow, for which the coordinates are: 2.25045, 44.69117. Due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces

Via email from Africom to BIJ, November 17th, 2017:

"The best I can do on the strikes that were not on your list, for operational security reasons, is say they were all conducted in southern Somalia."

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM confirmed it had struck what it says was an al Shabaab leader ("an al-Shabaab named objective"), in the vicinity of Tortoroow on July 29th 2017.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Incident Code

CS1295

Incident date

July 29, 2017

Location

Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Euphrates Post, two civilians died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqah.

Hasaka Marsad also named these two victims and blamed the Coalition for their deaths.

This event might or might not be related to the two events that the Coalition has admitted responsibility for — see S1138b and S1138c below.

In their August 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:

Family members (2)

Hossam Rachid Jadaan Al Haj
Age unknown male killed
Souzan Rashid Jadaan Al-Haj
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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 (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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV008784
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 22, 2020

  • July 29, 2017, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. The report contains insufficient information on time, location, or details to assess its credibility. 3137/CS1295 37SEV008784

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For July 28th-29th: “Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units; destroyed eight fighting positions, an artillery system, and a vehicle; and suppressed a fighting position.” It additionally reported that “On July 28, near Raqqah, Syria, 16 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units, destroyed an anti-air artillery system, and damaged seven fighting positions.”

For July 30th – 31st, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 14 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine fighting positions, three supply caches, two ISIS-held buildings, a vehicle, a tunnel, and a command and control node; and suppressed a fighting position.“

Summary

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

Incident Code

CI816

Incident date

July 29, 2017

Location

عنه, Anah, Gas station and ice factory, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

34.367372, 41.984598 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Residents and press sources said that heavy airstrikes targeted the ice factory and gas station in Anah district west of Anbar and some reports said a number of civilians were killed or injured.

According to Yaqein, the aerial bombardment targeted the ice factory and the gas station in the Ana district, west of Anbar. The bombing resulted in civilian deaths and injuries and the destruction of a number of houses.

Samarra Tv added warplanes bombed Daesh sites in the city of Ana, west of Anbar, targeting a car bomb near the government complex and the ice factory and the central station in the city. It made no mention of civilian casualties – nor of who carried out the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the alleged Coalition airstrikes targeted the ice factory (معمل الثلج)x and the gas station (محطة البانزين) in the district Ana, west of Anbar. The exact location of the gas station is at these coordinates: 34.367372, 41.984598, destruction can be seen at this location on satellite imagery available to Airwars between June 26, 2017 and September 19, 2017. For the ice factory mentioned a possible location is at these coordinates: 34.366545, 41.982673, as it is a building located next to the gas station and also shows traces of destruction within the same time frame.

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 Anah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 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

For July 28th-29th, Near Rawah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS-held buildings, a vehicle storage facility, and an armored vehicle.”

Summary

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

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI007

Incident date

July 29, 2017

Location

قنديل, افشين, الزاب, Zakho district, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.146111, 42.673611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local Kurdish media said that four civilians were injured by alleged Turkish artillery shelling in Zakho at the Iraqi-Turkish border.

Asda News reported that “the shelling led to the injury of four civilians, who were taken to the hospital for treatment, noting that the health of the four injured people is stable.”

Rudaw added that “the injured have since been discharged from hospital,” Rudaw’s Yousif Musa reported.

The shelling happened at 6:00 Friday evening in the Psaxa area, Batifa sub-district.

The four young people, two of them professional players of the Zakho football club, went out on a picnic on Friday. They were in the same area where militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) are also present.

The incident occured at 18:00:00 local time.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the district of Zakho district ( قنديل, افشين, الزاب), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.146111, 42.673611. 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
    Unknown
  • 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
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1296

Incident date

July 29, 2017

Location

البوكمال, Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.45622, 40.91166 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians died and 10 more were wounded in airstrikes on Abu Kamal, according to local sources. While the majority of reports blamed the US-led Coalition for the airstrikes, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that it was unclear whether the Coalition or Russia were responsible. The Coalition later confirmed having unintentionally killed three and injured nine in this strike.

Euphrates Post reported that an “air bombardment” (it didn’t say who was to blame) targeted the city of Abu Kamal, near the Abdullah bin Masood mosque. It also noted another raid on “the empty house of Jamul al-Dulaimi”.

According to the pro-regime agency Sana, “the US-led coalition bombed the Aisha hospital, the club and Al Shuhadaa [Martyrs] roundabout killing six civilians, including women and children and injuring 10 others and causing damage to infrastructure”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, also attributing the event to the Coalition, reported the death of a mother and her two children.

However, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SO4HR), who said that at least six non-combatants were killed, it was unclear whether Russian or Coalition warplanes were responsible for the strikes.

In October 2017, the Coalition conceded it had caused civilian harm in this strike: “During a Coalition strike that destroyed an ISIS headquarters structure, it was assessed that three civilians were unintentionally killed and nine civilians were unintentionally injured.”

In July 2019 the Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this event accurate to within a 100m box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

The wife of Abu Aboud al-Deiri
Adult female killed
Son of Abu Aboud al-Deiri
Child male killed
Son of Abu Aboud al-Deiri
Child male killed
Daughter of Abu Aboud al-Deiri
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Mrs. Sana al Ash’ab
Adult female the wife of Abdel Halim Al Mardood killed
Sundus Mohammed al-Mardod
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (3 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of a contested airstrike on Abu Kamal, 29th July 2017. (via @ahmadhossein3)

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest city at 34.466049, 40.907593

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
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    9
  • Stated location
    near Abu Kamal, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU756144
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017

  • July 29, 2017, near Abu Kamal, Syria, via self-report. During a Coalition strike that destroyed an ISIS headquarters structure, it was assessed that three civilians were unintentionally killed and nine civilians were unintentionally injured.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For July 29th-30th: “Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed an ISIS headquarters” and “Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed five ISIS oil stills and four oil tanks.”

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (3 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1297

Incident date

July 29, 2017

Location

Al Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.016667, 40.444167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several civilians were wounded in an airstrike on the main road to al Mayadin garage, local media reported, though it was unclear whether the Coalition or Russia were responsible.

Radio AlKul reported that “several civilians were injured by flying cluster bombs near the garage in Al Mayadin”.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “warplanes, whether Russian or affiliated with the International Coalition it is unknown, shelled places in the area extending from the public road to Al-Mayadin Garage, leaving several people injured”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (10) [ 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

For July 29th-30th: “Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed an ISIS headquarters” and “Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed five ISIS oil stills and four oil tanks.“

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1288

Incident date

July 28, 2017

Location

بلدة الطيبة, Al Tayba, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.0052619, 40.4581082 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to nine civilians, many from the same family, died in airstrikes which reportedly hit civilian homes in Al Tayba, according to local media. While most sources pointed towards the Coalition, a number did not identify the warplanes responsible, while one report alleged that the Assad regime was to blame.

7al provided the most detail on the event, reporting: “Abu Ayman al-Ali, an activist from Deir al-Zour, told al-Haal website that ‘Coalition aircraft targeted the municipality of Taybeh, located at the eastern entrance of the town of Al-Mayadeen, with more than three raids, which focused on civilian homes in the center of the town during Friday prayers,killing five of them [ie civilians] and wounding more than 18 others, many of whom were left in a critical condition. Much property was also destroyed.’”

According to Russia Today – who blamed the Coalition – seven people from the Al-Atish family died, including five children.

Death counts varied. Alaraby put the number at four, Baladi and eight (also pointing towards the Coalition) and Qasioun at nine, with dozens more wounded.

Al Jazeera said that eight people died in “unidentified airstrikes” which destroyed “several civilian homes”, while Euphrates Post reported that the house of Mejar Mohammed Al – Atish was “completely destroyed”.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights was alone in blaming the Assad regime, reporting that “three children and a woman from the same family were killed when Syrian regime warplanes fired missiles on Al Tayba”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

The daughter of Bandar Mohammed Al-Atish
Child female some sources named son killed
The wife of Mejar Mohammed Al – Atish
Adult female killed
Daughter of of Mejar Mohammed Al-Atish 1
Child female killed
Daughter of of Mejar Mohammed Al-Atish 2
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (3–4 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    18–36
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Taybah, July 28th 2017. (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Taybah, July 28th 2017. (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Taybah, July 28th 2017. (via Euphrates Post)

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

For July 28th-29th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed an ISIS headquarters, an oil storage vehicle, and a well-head.” It additionally reported that “On July 28, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, one strike destroyed four ISIS oil stills.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (3–4 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    18–36
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]