Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
11064 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS3042

Incident date

February 19, 2018

Location

كفربطنا , Kafar Batna, Damascusus , Syria

Geolocation

33.514529, 36.374577 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians, two men and one woman, were killed and several were left wounded as Kafar Batna, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, was subject to air and artillery shelling as reported by local media. It was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime was to blame.

Damas Press, who did not identify a culprit, reported how “rocket-propelled grenade launchers” had struck residential neighbourhoods, and other reports mentioned aerial shelling.

Following the incident, most sources reported two fatalities and several wounded. However, Ghouta Media Center (GMC) updated its initial report from two to three victims; two men and one woman.

It was, however, unclear who carried the blame. Orient News pointed to the Syrian regime while others, such as GMC, identified Russia as responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • One of the victims of the contested shelling of Kafar Batna, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via HalabTodayTV)
  • Smoke rising from Kafar Batna following the contested shelling of the town of February 19th, 2018 (via Damas Press)
  • Smoke rising from Kafar Batna following the contested shelling of the town of February 19th, 2018 (via Damas Press)
  • A wounded child following the contested shelling of Kafar Batna on February 19th, 2018 (via Damas Press)
  • A wounded child following the contested shelling of Kafar Batna on February 19th, 2018 (via Damas Press)
  • A wounded man following the contested shelling of Kafar Batna on February 19th, 2018 (via Damas Press)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3097

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

كفربطنا, Kafar Batna, Damascus , Syria

Geolocation

33.514529, 36.374577 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local media, up to three civilians, hereof one woman and one child, were killed as several left wounded as Assad and/or Russian-waged warplanes struck Kafar Batna, eastern Ghouta, Damascus.

Several reports told how Kafar Batna was subject to aerial shelling, especially striking residential areas. As the only one, Ghouta Media Center (GMC) reported about both aerial and artillery shelling. al-Arabiya reported that helicopters of the Syrian regime had launched explosive barrels in the town.

Sources reported two fatalities resulting from the strikes. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, one woman was among the victims.

GMC identified the name of one child fatality, a 45-days-old baby who indirectly was killed by the shelling as his parents were hindered to provide him milk.

In addition to the civilian deaths, several were also left wounded.

While al-Arabiya, as the only one, blamed the Syrian regime, the remaining sources pointed to either exclusive Russian culpability or to both belligerents.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khalid Dahbour
45 days years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Large parts of Kafar Batna, including residential areas, were left in rubble following the contested shelling of the town on February 24th, 2018 (via Ghouta Media Center)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1651

Incident date

November 20, 2016

Location

سقبا, Saqba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.519286, 36.382427 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a single source claim, three named adult males were killed due to Russian shelling on Saqba.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Badr
Adult male killed
Ahmad Shekh
Adult male killed
Mohammad Bassam Barakat
Adult killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2269

Incident date

June 4, 2017

Location

رسم العالي, Rasim Al Aa’li village, Akeirbat area, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

34.993248, 37.240466 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that an alleged Russian warplane struck the village of Rasim Al Aa’li in the Akeirbat region in eastern Hama by warplanes, killing three civilians and injuring three civilians. 

Smart News reported that a woman and two children were killed and that another three civilians were wounded, some of whom were in critical condition.

This airstrike was reported to be one of several airstrikes that time in the surrounding area, amid clashes between the Syrian regime and ISIS.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2258

Incident date

May 26, 2017

Location

العقيربات حمادة عمر , Hamada Omar near Al Akeirbat, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.025374, 37.423313 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilian deaths and several injuries were reported as a result of airstrikes on the village of Hama Omar in Hama Governorate on the 26th of May 2017, an area under the control of the Islamic State (Daesh).

It is unclear who was to blame for these airstrikes; sources pointed at the Russians and the Syrian regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Arab Fawaz al-Ahmad
Adult male killed
Hasan Allawi al-Rayya
Adult male killed
Saed al-Mosa
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Hassan Allawi al-Rayya was killed in alleged Russian airstrikes in Hamada Omar on the 26th of May 2017. (via Hasan Abou Omar)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS177

Incident date

February 9, 2018

Location

شيخ حديد, Sheikh Hadid, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.496944, 36.598333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the occurrence of civilian casualties as a result of the Turkish artillery shelling targeting areas in the Sheikh Hadid area in the western countryside of Afrin. The Observatory later put the number killed in Sheikh Hadid at three.

No further details are currently available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Sheikh Hadid, Afrin (شيخ حديد), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.496944, 36.598333. 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
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS930a ISSY001a

Incident date

June 7, 2017

Location

الشجرة, Al Shajra, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.773896, 35.882991 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that alleged airstrikes struck a building in Al Shajra town which several sources referred to as an “Islamic Court” while others described it as the headquarters of the “Islamic Army of Khalid Bin Al-Walid” – a faction that has been accused of being associated with the “Islamic State”. Sources were conflicted as to whether the Coalition or Israel was responsible for the airstrikes.

Four airstrikes were reported to have launched eight “rockets” after midnight. The same airplanes allegedly continued and struck the town of Joomla, near the Jordanian-Israeli border.

Three leaders of the “Army of Khalid Bin Al-Walid” were reported killed in the attack, including the General Commander Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, military commander Abu Uday al-Homsi and Abu Dujana al-Adlabi. Between ten and 20 other people were reported killed but it is unclear how many of these were combatants.

According to the Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office, among the fatalities were three women. Additionally, the Shaam News Network reported that the event resulted in the deaths of a number of “martyrs” and wounded civilians.

According to Almadon news, civilians were informed to evacuate areas controlled by the “Khaled bin al-Walid Army” within 72 hours, and warned that imminent shelling could target the area.

Shaam News reported a statement by the “Army of Khalid Bin Al-Walid” that it “did not hear the sounds of aircraft hovering in the air and did not monitor any move to fly in the western countryside before or after the target, indicating that the targeting may have been a long-range missile, or perhaps the targeting has been inside a bombing operation.”

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.

While the majority of sources attributed the strikes to the Coalition, a tweet from @omar_alharir, an independent journalist in Syria, and Enab Baladi News blamed Israel for carrying out the airstrikes.The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center also wrote that according to Enab Baladi, “the day before the attack, the army of Khaled bin Al-Olid executed a group of senior activists on charges of collaborating with Israel and assassinating the commanders of the organization”.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    13–20

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, leader of the "Khalid bin al-Walid Army", was reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on al Shajra town on June 7th 2017 (via Enab Baladi).
  • Smoke circling up after an alleged Coalition airstrike targeted the town of al Shajra on June 7th 2017 (via @AbozaidMohammed).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Shajra (الشجرة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.773896, 35.882991. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    36SYB699299
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020

  • June 7, 2017, in Ash Shajra, 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. 3105/CS930a 36SYB699299

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No Coalition strikes reported.

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    13–20

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS273

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

نبل, Nubl town, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.379722, 36.989167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local media, three civilians were killed followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Nubl town.

According to Enabbaladi, the Syrian regime’s media published a statement saying that Turkish planes’ targeted allied positions in Nabal and Zahra, which resulted in a number of civilian martyrs.

An image published shows the casualties to be young men.

Only one other source reported that civilians had been killed. Endi Zentarmi said: “After bombing a checkpoint in the Ziyarah area and killing eight pro-regime fighters, Turk jets have now also bombed the regime-controlled town of Nubl (south-east of Afrin city), killing at least three civilians. The airstrikes are deemed deliberate.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (0–3 men)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A picture shows the aftermath of the alleged Turkish airstrike, which targeted a checkpoint in the Ziyarah area which led the killing of three civilians (source: Qawem online)
  • A picture shows the checkpoint site destruction followed an alleged Turkish airstrike. Local sources claimed the death of three civilians and 8 combatants (source: Qawem online)
  • A picture shows the aftermath of the alleged Turkish airstrike, which targeted a checkpoint in the Ziyarah area which led the killing of three civilians (source: Qawem online)
  • Three of the victims of the alleged Turkish airstrike on Nubla, 14th March 2018. (via Sy7Syria)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Nubl town, Afrin (نبل), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.379722, 36.989167. 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
    3
  • (0–3 men)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]