US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

Belligerent
US-led Coalition
Country
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

CS016

Incident date

October 18, 2014

Location

المريعية, Mrey'iya, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

According to the Damascus Centre for Human Rights two civilian males – both members of the same family – died in an airstrike on the village of Al Maya’iya.

Syrian Martyrs also named the two victims, while the DinSyr twitter feed reported “Hamza Ahmad al-Abd Al Jalil Mahmoud Ahmad Al-Jalil. Their bodies were identified among the victims of the International Coalition raids.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Age unknown male Named by DCHRS killed
Age unknown male Named by DCHRS killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (0–2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • "Hamza Ahmad al-Abd Al Jalil Mahmoud Ahmad Al-Jalil Their bodies were identified among the victims of the International coalition raids."

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention Al Marya’iya ( المريعية ) village in Deir Ezzor: 35.2726894, 40.2245951

  • Al Marya’iya ( لمريعية )

    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

The coalition reports three events in the vicinity between October 17th-19th 2014. In the first, “One airstrike took place southeast of Dayr Az Zawr and damaged an ISIL modular oil refinery.”

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • @DinSyr tweets that the bodies of Hamza Ahmad al Jalil and Mahmoud Ahmad al Jalil were found following international coalition raids, 19th October, 2014.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (0–2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1940

Incident date

December 7, 2019

Location

طريق بين عفرين وإعزاز، قريب من تقاطع قيبار, Road between Afrin and A’zaz, close to Qibar Junction, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.537842, 36.902342 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three people were reported killed – one of whom was said to be a militant leader in the Ahrar al-Sham Movement which is affiliated with the Syrian National Army – in an alleged Coalition drone strike on their car on Afrin- Azaz road in Aleppo, Syria, on December 7th, 2019, according to local sources. The combat status of two of the victims was unclear.

The identity of those killed is not clear yet. While Aramme reported those killed were civilians, Step Agency said that they included a smuggler who transported people between Turkey and Idlib, and that he was accompanied by two ISIS leaders, one of whom was wearing an explosive belt.

A report by Jesr Press said that the strike targeted “a leader of the Ahrar al-Sham Movement in the northern countryside of Aleppo, which led to the death of him and two others who were travelling in the same car.”

However, the Smart News Agency reported that “the commander-in-chief of Ahrar al-Sham, Jabir Ali Pasha, and spokesman for the National Liberation Front, Captain Naji Mustafa, denied through their official knowledge that the dead were linked to Ahrar al-Sham, noting that the military tasks carried by the dead were forged.” But a ‘National Army’ ID card was found in the targeted car and referred to ‘Abu Sa’ad Al Hoss’ as the leader who was killed.

Other sources such as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the three allegedly belonged to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

In the third of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • (0–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aftermath of the alleged Coalition drone strike in Afrin - Azaz road on Dec 7, 2019 (via Jesr Press).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aftermath of the alleged Coalition drone strike in Afrin - Azaz road on Dec 7, 2019 (via Jesr Press) - GRAPHIC.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aftermath of the alleged Coalition drone strike in Afrin - Azaz road on Dec 7, 2019 (via Jesr Press) - GRAPHIC.
  • Aftermath of the alleged Coalition drone strike in Afrin - Azaz road on Dec 7, 2019 (via Jesr Press) - GRAPHIC.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images of the car that was allegedly attack by a Coalition drone strike (via Al souria)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck in the vicinity of the Qibar (قيبار) junction, while travelling between Afrin (عفرين) and A’zaz (أعزاز).  Using visual information from available sources, we have narrowed down the location of the wreckage to a field northwest of Qibar. The coordinates for the wreckage are: 36.537842, 36.902342

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  • Matching features between footage of incident and Google Earth visualisations

    Imagery:
    Nedaa

  • Matching features between footage of incident and Google Earth visualisations

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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
    37SCA122456
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 14, 2020
  • Dec. 7, 2019, Aleppo, 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. 3215/CS1940 37SCA122456

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • (0–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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
    US-led Coalition
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI024

Incident date

December 25, 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

In an event previously not tracked by Airwars, two civilians were reported as having been possibly killed by a Dutch airstrike on December 26th, after motorbikes strayed into the kill zone during an attack on Fallujah.

According to an internal CENTCOM document, it was self-reported the following day that “while conducting dynamic coalition airstrikes on ISIL fighters and technical vehicles [redacted] NLD F· l6AM [ie a Dutch F-16] may have unintentionally struck two unidentified persons on motorcycles who entered the target area during the strikes.”

These claims of civilian casualties were deemed credible enough to trigger a rare formal CENTCOM investigation into the event. This later concluded that there was not enough evidence to indicate civilian fatalities, A spokesman told Airwars in July 2015 that “after reviewing all available evidence, the allegations of civilian casualties from Coalition airstrikes in these instances were unfounded. The two allegations investigated in Iraq involved Coalition airstrikes on Dec. 25, 2014 [US time], near Fallujah, and April 4, 2015, near Al Sadilyae.”

The determination that no civilians had died appeared based mainly on an assessment of the ammunition used: “No CIVCAS found due to the Dutch using ball ammo rather than HE [high explosive] rounds.”

CENTCOM has decided not to publicly release its investigation into the Dutch strike at Fallujah, with an August 2015 request by Airwars for an expedited release of the documents dismissed on grounds that there was no “compelling need” for the public to be urgently informed about this or similar investigations.

Airwars researchers have found no public reports of civilian fatalities for Fallujah on December 25th-26th, although there was coverage of ongoing clashes between the Iraq military and Daesh.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • 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.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    Fallujah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015
  • CAOC reported that on D855Z 26 DEC 14, while conducting dynamic coalition airstrikes on ISIL fighters and technical vehicles, (NLD F-l6AM) may have unintentionally struck two unidentified persons on motorcycles who entered the target area during the strikes. Dutch LNO was notified. CAOC is confirming whether NLD will conduct their own national investigation. // Credible. JTF directed an investigation to be conducted // DTG US INVESTIGATION: Findings and recommendations completed by IO. No CIVCAS found due to the Dutch using ball ammo versus HE rounds.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1979

Incident date

February 22, 2022

Location

الدحلة, Al Dahla, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian, named in local sources as Ibrahim Khalif Ali Al-Ammar, aged 52, was reportedly killed during a Syrian Democratic Forces and US-led Coalition raid on the village of Al-Dahla, in the countryside of Deir Ezzor, at dawn on February 22nd 2022. According to local sources, he was shot at dawn when his house was raided.

The US-led Coalition was reportedly providing “aircraft” support. SANA reported that they carried out an airdrop operation.

Euphrates reported that Mr. Al-Ammar worked in the fertilizer and grain trade.

@DeirEzzorNow tweeted that “the raid took place without helicopters, as forces from HAT and the coalition raided the house of Ibrahim Al-Khalif Al-Ammar, and the goal is to arrest his brother Hassan, who was said to be an arms dealer, as they live in two adjacent houses in one yard.” They reported that his brother was arrested during the operation.

Another local source tweeted that the town was raided at night, “with a patrol of twelve cars.” Ath Press added that the raid was carried out by members of the “Miliary Council in Deir Ezzor”, led by Ahmwd Al-Khabeel… came with the aim of putting pressure on Al-Ammar and his brother with the aim of blackmailing them and forcing them to pay the money as a kind of royalty, and after he refused several times the raid took place.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did not mention the detail about Mr. Al-Ammar’s brother and instead said that he was trying to be arrested during the raid, and that because he refused to surrender, he was arrested and shot dead.

Shaam reported that “activists in the Furat Post network said that SDF members shot Ibrahim Khalif Ali Al-Ammar, after he tried to prevent them from entering his house because of the presence of women and children.”

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Ibrahim Khalif Ali Al-Ammar
52 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
    US-led Coalition

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Ibrahim Khalif Al-Ali Al-Ammar, reportedly killed by a SDF and US-led Coalition raid in Al-Dahla on February 22nd 2022 (Image via @nahermedia / Twitter)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
    US-led Coalition

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI039

Incident date

February 17, 2015

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Cultural area, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.375, 43.141667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to NINA, citing a security source, nine members of a family – including women and children – died after coalition warplanes “bombed a house at dawn in the Althaqafiyah residential complex area in the north of Mosul, suspected of being taking a den or a hideout by Daash terrorists.

 

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the residential “Al-thaqafiyah complex (Cultural)” ( ثقافي ) area, North of Mosul. The incident would have occurred around “dawn,” which would be at approximately 6:30 local time. The location of the midpoint of the Cultural ( ثقافي ) area is: 36.375, 43.141667

  • Cultural ( ثقافي ) area, North Mosul

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF333271
    Military Grid Reference System

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

For February 16th-17th 2015 the coalition has confirmed that “Near Mosul, two airstrikes destroyed an ISIL mortar position and an ISIL fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (3 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI063

Incident date

April 21, 2015

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, East, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3672543, 43.1793594 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A claimed coalition airstrike on the centre of Mosul killed up to 23 militants and five or more non-combatants according to reports, after four homes were destroyed.

NINA cited a medical source as saying that 23 civilians died when aircraft struck the Mdaana neighbourhood – though this appears to be a mis-cite of other casualties (see below).

NRT-TV was more conservative, reporting that “The forensic medicine department in Mosul received the bodies of the martyrs of nine civilians, including four women and a child following [coalition] aerial bombardment on the areas of Al Sukkar, Al Sadiq and Al Muthanna east of Mosul. At the same time Mosul’s hospitals received 12 wounded, including an elderly woman and six children.”

Iraqi News placed the death toll at 5 non-combatants, adding that 23 “Daesh militants” had also died: “A medical source told the Iraqi News Agency, that the forensic medical department received 23 bodies of killed members of IS killed in a coalition raid targeting the power station in Adan neighborhood east of Mosul, explaining that the station was used by IS as a headquarters.

 

The incident was first reported on April 21, 2015 at 10:50 am by Iraqi News Agency.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (1 child4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhoods of Sukkar ( حي السكر ), Saddiq ( حي الصديق ) and Muthana ( حي المثنى ) in East Mosul. One report alleged the airstrike targeted the “power station in Aden neighborhood ( حي عدن ),” also located in East Mosul. The coordinates for the midpoint of East Mosul are: 36.3672543, 43.1793594

  • East Mosul, showing Sukkar ( حي السكر ), Saddiq ( حي الصديق ), Muthana ( حي المثنى ) and Aden ( عدن )

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

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 Mosul, Iraq
    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

Actions were reported in the vicinity for April 20th-21st: “Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL IED factory and multiple ISIL fighting positions.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (1 child4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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

CI074

Incident date

June 23, 2015

Location

المسحك, Mishak, Salah al-Din, Iraq

Geolocation

35.1772266, 43.3992002 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a report published in January 2016, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq cited an incident in Bayji which an alleged airstrike killed six civilians including four children. The Coalition has confirmed carrying out an airstrike in the vicinity.

According to UNAMI, “On 23 June, a house was allegedly targeted by an airstrike in Baiji district, Salah al-Din, which killed six civilians (including four children) and wounded eight others. The house was reported to have been located close to a mosque which, at the time of the attack, was occupied by ISIL. A local source from Baiji stated that the house was hit by mistake and that the target was the ISIL-occupied mosque. The source however could not confirm who carried out the airstrike.”

Local media also reported on the incident at the timem, with opinion divided on which party was responsible. According to Al Araby Iraqi planes “a report issued by the city of Baiji General Hospital said the eight dead included two children and a woman, while 27 others were injured” by Iraqi warplanes. Shafaaq noted that its local source “did not indicate whether it was an Iraqi plane or the international coalition led by the United States.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–27
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

According to the UNAMI report, a civilian house was allegedly targeted in an airstrike in the Baiji district, Salah al-Din. Alaraby and other local sources reported the strike to have happened in the village of Al Mishak (المسحك), located 30 km north of Baiji, for which the coordinates of its midpoint are: 35.1772266, 43.3992002

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 Baiji, Iraq
    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

The Coalition confirms carrying out an airstrike in the vicinity on June 8th-9th 2015: “Near Bayji, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL vehicles and an ISIL staging area.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–27
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS104

Incident date

July 23, 2015

Location

ﺣﻠﺐ, Nahiyat Sereen near Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.206137, 37.140688 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A reported Coalition airstrike at 3.45pm killed up to seven civilians including two children, at Nahiyat Sereen near Aleppo.

One young victim, Mohammad Jassen Al Abou Rakan, was decapitated in the incident, with graphic images of his body widely distributed on social media.

Islamic State later published a propaganda video of the event, including interviews with eyewitnesses and rescuers. One man told the camera: “Civilians coming here to get bread are getting killed. What is this? Where are civilians supposed to go? Are they supposed to go to the wilderness to save themselves? Damn them.“

Another man described the buildings reportedly hit in the raid: “Today the coalition planes came to continue what the criminals from the PKK had started. More than 4 or five missiles were fired at once destroying many houses. The house of Hajj Ali and the house of the son of Hajj Ali; the house of Ali Al Hassani; the house of Mohammad Al Hajrashi; and a big number of civilian shops. All the victims are civilians that have nothing to do with what is happening at all.“

The Syrian Observatory also reported activity by Turkish aircraft in the region on this date.

In its civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year, the Coalition assessed this event as ‘not credible, asserting: “July 23, 2015, in Aleppo, 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. 2806/CS104 37SCA328084”.

Officials published a location for the event to within 100 metres of where they had remotely assessed the incident.

The incident occured at 15:45:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Jassem Al Abou Rakan
Child male son of Jassem Al Abou Rakan killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (2 children)
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected targets
    Al Qaeda/HTS, ISIS

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Warning: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC PHOTOS. Series of tweets from Nasser al Tamimi wIth photos showing the aftermath of the strikes on Sareen in Aleppo, 24th July 2015
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Warning: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC PHOTOS. tweets from Nasser al Tamimi with a photo of a man holding the body of his headless child. Described as a man in the IS-controlled areas with his decapitated child as a result of air raids. 23rd July 2015
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of a decapitated child's body tweeted by @abomuslim121212 [account now suspended]. Photo labelled in Sareen and tweeted on 23rd July 2015
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Tweet from @nasertamimi with very graphic photos of man holding decapitated body of child allegedly as a result of aerial bombardment in IS-held areas. 23rd July 2015
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Tweet from @nasertamimi with very graphic photos of man holding decapitated body of child allegedly as a result of aerial bombardment in IS-held areas. 23rd July 2015
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More graphic photos of the body of a decapitated child in Sareen as a result of 'Saudi and Western bombardment' tweet by Adam the Syrian Tweets on 23rd July 2015. [Account now suspended]
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More graphic photos of the body of a decapitated child in Sareen as a result of 'Saudi and Western bombardment' tweet by Adam the Syrian Tweets on 23rd July 2015. [Account now suspended]
  • Photo of the alleged bombardment of Sareen, Aleppo. Tweeted by Adam the Syrian Tweets on 23rd July 2015. [Account now suspended]
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of an injured child as a result of the alleged bombardment of Sareen, Aleppo. Tweeted by Adam the Syrian Tweets on 23rd July 2015. [Account now suspended]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]
  • Series of stills from a video broadcast by ISIL-affiliated media with a caption reading 'the crusader coalition planes target the area of Sareen causing deaths and injuries and material damage' [via: @nasertamimi on 24th July 2015]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Nahiyat Sereen near Aleppo (ﺣﻠﺐ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.206137, 37.140688. 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
    in Aleppo, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SCA328084
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019
  • July 23, 2015, in Aleppo, 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. 2806/CS104 37SCA328084

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No coalition strikes were publicly reported in the vicinity of Sereen between July 22-24th 2015.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (2 children)
  • 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 attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected targets
    Al Qaeda/HTS, ISIS

Sources (11) [ collapse]