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

CI061

Incident date

April 20, 2015

Location

فايده, Fadhiliya, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.5125336, 43.2689667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An airstrike on the village of Fadiliya near Bashiqa, north of Mosul, killed between 5 and 11 civilians according to reports.

NINA, citing a peshmerga source, said that three Daesh militants and 11 non-combatants died in a coalition strike. In contrast Arb-q cited a security source as saying that an unidentified airstrike had killed “five members of one family: the father and mother, and three children.“

BasNews, making no mention of civilian casualties, said that a coalition strike had killed a local Islamic State commander known as Abu A’isha, a Syrian national, and three of his men.

A day later Islamic State reportedly destroyed six empty Christian homes in the town, in what may have been a retaliatory act.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Fadhiliya (فايده), Nineveh Province, Iraq, near Bashiqah town (بعشيقة‎), which is located approximately 17 km North East of Mosul. The coordinates for the midpoint of Fadhiliya (فايده) are: 36.5125336, 43.2689667. A note on alternative Arabic spellings: Kurdish: Fezîle (فەزيلە); Arabic: al-Fāḍliyat (الفاضلية), al-Fāḍliyah (الفاضليه) or Faṣīliyat (فصيلية)  

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
  • Stated location
    near Ba’shiqa, Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2018

  • fter 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

On April 19th-20th the coalition reported four strikes in the vicinity: “Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck an ISIL staging area, destroying four ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL armored vehicle and an ISIL excavator.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI151

Incident date

December 7, 2015

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

There were claims that eleven civilians were killed including two children – with three doctors injured – after Coalition aircraft allegedly bombed two health centers in Aski Mosul and Baduish villages in Mosul.

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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
    38SLF175330/38SKF975432
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 3, 2020
  • Jan 3, 2020

  • December 7, 2015, in Baduish, 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. 2866/CI151 38SLF175330

  • 38. December 7, 2015, in Aski, 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. 2867/CI151 38SKF975432

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For December 6th-7th 2015 the Coalition reported that “Near Mosul, one strike destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1523

Incident date

September 24, 2017

Location

مركدة , Markada, Al Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

35.765641, 40.771032 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eleven civilians including one woman and two or more children died and many more were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Markada, local media reported.

All sources attributed the event to the US-led Coalition. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that four non-combatants including two girls and a woman died. Insaan Rights Watch also put the death toll at four including two children. According to Jirstv and Shadadi media center two families were killed.

Alkhabou provided the most detail reporting: “Yesterday evening, Coalition forces targeted civilian houses in the town of Merkada, killing and injuring civilians, some of whom were left in a critical condition. Coalition aircraft bombed the homes of civilians with several high-explosive rockets in the town of (Markda) south of the city of Shaddadi, causing the death of a number of civilians. These include Fahad Radi and his daughters, and wife of Abu Sabri and his daughter; A refugee family from Iraq, and a large number of wounded, some seriously.”

Six people from a refugee Iraqi family were also reportedly killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “the death toll is likely to increase because of the presence of people injured in serious conditions”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Fahad Radi
Adult male killed
Daughter of Fahad Radi
Child female
Daughter of Fahad Radi
Child

Family members (2)

The wife of Abu Sabri
Adult female killed
Daughter of Abu Sabri
Child female

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2–3 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–10
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Markada (مركدة), Al Hasakah governorate. The coordinates for this village are: 35.765641, 40.771032.

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 Markadah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 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 September 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: “Near Al Shadaddi, one strike destroyed an ISIS headquarters.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • (2–3 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–10
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS381

Incident date

November 19, 2016

Location

بعاص, Bia'as, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between 8 and 11 civilians died in what both the Syrian Network and Syrian Observatory called a ‘massacre’ – following alleged Coalition strikes on Bia’as.

According to Shaam News Network, “clashes [between ISIL and SDF] have moved into the centre of Tal Al Samin where international coalition aircraft, has launched dozens of air raids on positions controlled by IS. The raids resulted in the fall of eight martyrs in the village of Bi’as and many wounded among the civilian population.”

LCCSY placed the death toll at 11, while Raqqa is Being Slaughtered named eight civilian victims.

The Coalition announced on January 2nd 2017 that “Currently, five reports of civilian casualties received in November are still being assessed… Nov. 19, 2016, near Ar Raqqah, Syria.” An official later confirmed to Airwars that this related to allegations at Bia’as that day. The incident was still being assessed a month later, but on March 4th, the Coalition reported that “After a review of available information and/or strike video it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in this geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Waddah Abdallah al Hasan
Age unknown male killed
Ali al Shamma's daughter
Age unknown female killed
Ahmad al Nijm al Qadib
Age unknown male killed
Juma’a al Badri
Age unknown male killed
Jassem al Shamma
Age unknown male killed
Ali al Hamad al Hmeidaoui
Age unknown male killed
Issa al Suleiman al Jbeil
Age unknown male killed
Abdallah al Hassan al Issa
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 11
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Jassem al Ali al Shamma (via RBSS)
  • Widah Abdallah al Hassan (via RBSS)
  • Ali Al Hamad Al Hmeidawi (via RBSS)
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 Bia'as, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For November 18th-19th, the Coalition reported “Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes engaged an ISIL storage facility and destroyed seven oil storage tanks and four oil transfer compressors. Near Ayn Isa, 13 strikes engaged 10 ISIL tactical units; destroyed five fighting positions, an IED facility, a VBIED, and an artillery system; and damaged a supply route.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 11
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI576

Incident date

March 24, 2017

Location

الموصل: غرب/الجانب الأيمن, Mosul, West / Right side, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.336843, 43.117979 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources said that eleven civilians were killed and 14 others were injured due to airstrikes and artillery shelling in several neighborhoods in the west of Mosul.

While Sputnik News blamed the Coalition, other sources did not say who carried out the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • Civilians reported injured
    14
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (6) [ 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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 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 March 24th-25th the Coalition noted: “Near Mosul, fives strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed six mortar systems, five fighting positions, a vehicle, a supply cache, a command and control node, a sniper position, and a VBIED; damaged seven supply routes and three fighting positions; and suppressed three ISIS tactical units and an ISIS heavy machine gun team.”

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11
  • Civilians reported injured
    14
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1368

Incident date

August 13, 2017

Location

فردوس, Ar Raqqah: Fardous neighbourhood, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.953582, 39.004436 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twelve civilians died and six more were wounded in Coalition air or artillery strikes on Raqqa, according to local media. The action was later confirmed to be a British airstrike.

In February 2019, the Coalition accepted responsibility for the event, noting: “Coalition aircraft engaged ISIS fighters utilizing a mortar system in a building used as a defensive fighting position. Regrettably, 12 civilians were unintentionally killed and six were unintentionally injured as a result of the blast.”

Multiple sources blamed Coalition air and/or artillery strikes for the death of ten civilians and injury of more. Raqqa Truth said that six were wounded in addition to ten killed.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Coalition struck the “Ferdus Furnace area and other areas in the city”. It put the death toll at 12.

Zakaria has been removed from this incident as the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality” reported that he died on October 11th with his nephew while riding a motorbike.

The February 2019 assessment appears to be a reassessment of a March 2018 decision in which the Coalition originally confirmed one death – though we currently cannot be sure that this was referring to this incident.

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

In March 2020, Airwars and the BBC published an investigation revealing that the UK was refusing to accept responsibility for civilian harm in this and two other events – despite confirming that the RAF had conducted the strikes.

Senior MoD officials revealed that they were insisting upon ‘hard facts’ when determining casualties – an almost impossible bar to surmount, and at odds with the US-led Coalition’s own ‘balance of probabilities’ approach.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Walid Awad Al Qus or Qawwas
Age unknown male killed
Limar Awad Al Qus or Qawwas
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 11
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • # Raqqa: 10 martyrs and a number of wounded by aerial bombardment and artillery by the coalition aircraft on the neighborhoods of Al-Rigga city.

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
    Killed by strike blast
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    12–13
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    6
  • Stated location
    near Raqqa, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV004788
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 28, 2018
  • Feb 28, 2019

  • August 13, 2017, near Raqqa, Syria, via Airwars report. Coalition aircraft engaged ISIS fighters utilizing a mortar system in a building used as a defensive fighting position. Regrettably, 12 civilians were unintentionally killed and six were unintentionally injured as a result of the blast.

  • Aug. 13, 2017 near Raqqah, Syria via self-report. During a Coalition strike to engage an ISIS-controlled building a civilian entered the area of the strike and it was assessed that one civilian was unintentionally killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For August 12th-13th the Coalition reported “Near Raqqah, 15 strikes engaged 14 ISIS tactical units and destroyed three command and control nodes, two ISIS headquarters, an ISIS UAS launch site and a vehicle.” It additionally reported that “On Aug. 12, near Raqqah, Syria, 21 strikes engaged 16 ISIS tactical units and destroyed a fighting position, an anti-aircraft artillery system, and a mortar system.” And that “On Aug. 12, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike destroyed an ISIS fighting position.”

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For Aug 9-15th, France report 2 strikes in Raqqah, Syria – and 13 artillery missions in Mosul.

#Chammal : 2 frappes et 13 missions d’artillerie en Irak et en Syrie cette semaine.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

In the past week, (11th-18th) France conducted 27 sorties, including 22 armed reconnaissance and ground support (CAS), 1 refueling outlet and 4 intelligence gathering sorties by Atlantic 2 or Rafale patrols. Two strikes were carried out in the Raqqah region of Syria. They helped support the Syrian democratic forces in their offensive to retake the city.

‘OPÉRATION CHAMMAL SITUATION En Syrie, A Raqqah, la progression des forces démocratiques syriennes se poursuit. Au sud de la ville, la manœuvre de tenaille, amorcée il y a 15 jours, s’est achevée en fin de semaine dernière. Elle a permis de réaliser la jonction des fronts est et ouest. Depuis, les forces démocratiques syriennes ont relancé une offensive vers le centre de la ville mais elles font face à une défense acharnée des combattants de Daech. En Irak, Les forces de sécurité irakiennes poursuivent leurs opérations dans l’objectif de libérer, à terme, le nord de l’Irak. Actuellement, elles focalisent leur effort sur l’encerclement de la ville de Tall Afar. Les combattants de l’organisation terroriste réalisent un travail de valorisation de leurs positions défensives pour se préparer aux combats à venir alors que les populations tentent de fuir la ville. ACTIVITÉS DE LA FORCE Les soldats de l’opération Chammal poursuive leur mission d’appui au profit des unités irakiennes engagées contre Daech. Cette semaine, sur le théâtre, les aéronefs ont réalisé 27 sorties aériennes dont 22 de reconnaissance armée et d’appui au sol (CAS), 1 sortie de ravitaillement ainsi que 4 sorties de recueil de renseignement par Atlantique 2 ou patrouille de Rafale. Deux frappes ont été conduites dans la région de Raqqah en Syrie. Elles ont permis d’appuyer les forces démocratiques syriennes dans leur offensive pour reprendre la ville. La Task Force (TF) Wagram a mené de son côté 13 missions de tir en appui de la 15e division à l’ouest de Mossoul vers Tal Afar. En particulier, les artilleurs ont fourni des feux de harcèlement et d’éclairement pour interdire aux combattants de Daech de mener des actions au sol ou de réaliser des tirs indirects contre les positions irakiennes. Le bilan global de l’activité aérienne depuis le 19 septembre 2014 s’élève 1330 frappes, 2102 objectifs détruits et 6946 sorties. ‘

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

‘Saturday 12 August – Typhoons destroyed a Daesh headquarters in Raqqa… Typhoons maintained a presence over Raqqa over the weekend, destroying a Daesh headquarters building on Saturday 12 August…’

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 11
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2286 CS1105a

Incident date

June 15, 2017

Location

مراط, Mrat, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.31407, 40.23865 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an airstrike which hit Mrat, as many as 11 civilians were killed – including six from one family – and dozens more were wounded, according to local media. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Most attributed blame to the Syrian regime, while Souriyati, blamed the Coalition. Others also blamed Russian warplanes for the raids. 

According to @raedsyrian002, “the Air Force destroyed one of the headquarters of a terrorist… and killed a large number of terrorist called Daesh”. This is the only source to report that members of Daesh were killed.

All other source have reported that “a family of 6 people [died[ as a result of the targeting of their house in the town of Marat in the eastern suburb of Deir Al-Azur by the warplanes”.

Four children, a woman and a man were included in the death toll.

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.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Ibrahim Hassani Karim
Adult male killed
Shiraz Hassani Al-Karim
killed
Son of Ibrahim al-Hassani 1
Child male killed
Son of Ibrahim al-Hassani 2
Child male killed
Son of Ibrahim al-Hassani 3
Child male killed
The wife of Ibrahim al-Hassani
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 11
  • (4 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ 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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

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
    37SFV126085
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020

  • June 15, 2017, in Marat, 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. 3115/CS1105a 37SFV126085

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 11
  • (4 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS069

Incident date

May 20, 2015

Location

التوامة, Tawama, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19327, 36.80928 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Al Jazeera and others, a Coalition strike on the al Nusra Front at al Tawama destroyed a number of civilian buildings, killing as many as seven inhabitants. Fifteen alleged militants – most described as ‘Turks’ – also died in the attack which reportedly struck two separate locations in the village. According to Sana Revolution, an additional four civilians also died at the second location.

However SN4HR reported only one civilian fatality, that of a 9-year old girl who was the niece of al-Nusra commander Bader al Dakas who later described her death: “My niece and my sister were staying with me in the house. Most of the time we’re not in the house, we’re on the battlefield so this is considered a civilian house. She was hit by shrapnel and was killed yesterday around six in the evening. She was on the roof when it happened and she was martyred. She was 9 years old.”

According to al Watan “Witnesses from the village reported that a plane believed to be an F-16, flew over head for more than a quarter of an hour, before carrying out two consecutive raids on Al-Nusra Front’s base.”

On May 22, 2015, only two days after the alleged incident, a Coalition spokesperson confirmed to Airwars that it had “conducted airstrikes against terrorist compounds near the village of Al Tawama, Syria, May 20.” However, they declined to say whether any specific investigation into alleged civilian casualties was underway. On May 24, 2016 the Coalition again confirmed the Tawama strike in a public statement and added, “there were no observed women, children or non-combatants in the compounds at the time“. To date, Airwars has seen no record of an investigation either by the Coalition or CENTCOM. We remain unclear as to why.

The incident occured at approximately 6:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

niece of al-Nusra commander Bader al Dakas
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • (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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Scene of a May 20 alleged airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at , Syria (SNN)
  • Scene of a May 20 alleged airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at , Syria (SNN)
  • Scene of a May 20 alleged airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at , Syria (SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Badr al Nakas' niece, the only named victim of a Coalition strike on May 20th (via SN4HR)
    Badr al Nakas' niece, the only named victim of a Coalition strike on May 20th (via SN4HR)

Geolocation notes (6) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tawama (التوامة), of which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 36.19327, 36.80928. Satellite imagery from April 2016, taken 10 months after the incident, shows visible structural damage in the area, in comparison to satellite imagery taken prior to the incident. In addition, using Google Earth Terrain ground view, Airwars was able to geolocate images provided by media, further verifying the location of the incident.

  • The village of Tawama (التوامة), showing visible structural damage (left: 26 August, 2014; right: 29 April, 2016)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • East of the village of Tawama (التوامة), showing visible structural damage (left: 26 August, 2014; right: 29 April, 2016)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • West of the village of Tawama (التوامة), showing visible structural damage (left: 26 August, 2014; right: 29 April, 2016)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Google Earth ground view matches the image (camera facing South West, late afternoon to early evening)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Google Earth ground view matches the image (camera facing South West, late afternoon to early evening)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Geolocation based on the matching Google Earth ground view

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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

Although daily reports only referred to a strike “near Aleppo” the coalition has since told Airwars that it did conduct a strike at the specific location: “We can confirm the coalition conducted airstrikes against terrorist compounds near the village of Al Tawama, Syria, May 20.” [email to Airwars, May 22 2015.]

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • (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 (9) [ collapse]