US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

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

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

Incident date

January 22, 2015

Incident Code

CI031

LOCATION

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

An internal CENTCOM report cited a Tweet by an Iraqi “self proclaimed freelance journalist” (identified as Mr Zyad al-Senjary) who had posted a photograph of “a partially-destroyed house and claimed 2 children were killed and several Iraqis injured in a UAV [drone] strike.” An initial CENTCOM inquiry identified 32 total Coalition engagements in Nineveh for

Summary

First published
January 22, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
(2 children)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Weak
Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

January 21, 2015

Incident Code

CI029

LOCATION

الكسك, Kisik Junction, Nineveh, Iraq

A Canadian airstrike at Kisik Junction was alleged to have killed between 6 and 27 civilians, according to an internal CENTCOM report. The source was an English-speaking peshmerga fighter, who had passed on his concerns to Coalition Special Forces based in Iraq. The Canadian attack had targeted “an ISIL sniper/ HMG [havy machine gun] position

Summary

First published
January 21, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
6 – 27
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

January 19, 2015

Incident Code

CS046

LOCATION

الشدادي, Shadadi, Al Hassakah, Syria

An internal CENTCOM review cited reports from the ‘pro-opposition’ Step News Agency that three civilians had died when Coalition missiles struck homes in al-Shaddadi. According to the news site, “two civilian houses were targeted leading to the martyrdom of three from one family and several wounded including women and children.” The Coalition concluded that its

Summary

First published
January 19, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
4
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

January 18, 2015

Incident Code

CS045

LOCATION

الطيانة, Tayyani, Deir Ezzor, Syria

An adult civilian male, was reported by a number of sources as killed in a coalition airstrike on his neighbourhood.  

Summary

First published
January 18, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 man)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerents
US-led Coalition, Unknown
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

January 14, 2015

Incident Code

CS044

LOCATION

الحسكة, Al Hasakah, Deir Ezzor, Syria

The website Syrian Martyrs identifies one man it says was killed in a Coalition airstrike near Dayr Ezzawr. He was reported as a resident of Tayana, the village where he was killed. However Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies – which named him – said that although he was from Tayana, he was killed in Al

Summary

First published
January 15, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 man)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

January 14, 2015

Incident Code

CS043

LOCATION

حماة, Um al Nayr, Idlib, Syria

A female civilian, a civil engineer, was reported by Syrian Martyrs to have been killed in a Coalition airstrike. Confused reporting placed her death either at Umm Al Nayr near Hama, or at nearby Kaferzita. However, VDC – which named the victim – stated that a 25 year old instead died in an attack by

Summary

First published
January 14, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 woman)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerents
US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

January 12, 2015

Incident Code

CS042

LOCATION

near al-Bo Omar, Syria, Deir Ezzor, Syria

In the January 25th 2018 civilian casualty report, the Coalition reported that a civilian casualties allegation near al-Bo Omar had been assessed as non credible: “#1 Jan. 12, 2015, near al-Bo Omar, Syria via regional human rights group report. After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in

Summary

First published
January 12, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

January 11, 2015

Incident Code

CS041

LOCATION

دير الزور‎, Deir ez-Zor, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Extensive coalition air raids on Islamic State-controlled oil fields reportedly killed four civilian oil workers, according to a number of sources. Local website Step Agency listed what it said were the targets struck: “The alliance planes at dawn today launched more than five raids targeting Islamic State near the town of Abu Kamal in the

Summary

First published
January 11, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
4 – 5
(4–5 men)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
5 named
View Incident

Incident date

January 11, 2015

Incident Code

CI028

LOCATION

القيارة, Qayyarah, Nineveh, Iraq

A single source claimed that a coalition strike on the town of Qayyarah near Mosul killed and injured “dozens.”  

Summary

First published
January 11, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
24
Airwars civilian harm grading
Weak
Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

January 5, 2015

Incident Code

CS040

LOCATION

معرحطاط, Ma`arr Hitat, Idlib, Syria

The Syrian Martyrs website, lists one civilian male as a victim of a coalition strike. It is unclear whether he was killed in his home town of Ma’ar Hatat in Idlib or in Raqqa. However, the original listing in Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies lists him as a militant from Idlib – and reports

Summary

First published
January 5, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 man)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

January 2, 2015

Incident Code

CI027

LOCATION

الفرحانية, Villages of Al-Farhaniya and al-Subaihat, Salah Al Din, Iraq

An airstrike by an unspecified belligerent reportedly killed 12 civilians including women and children, and wounded an additional 23. The deaths occurred during an Iraqi government offensive against Islamic State.

Summary

First published
January 2, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
12
Civilians reported injured
23
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerents
US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces
View Incident

Incident date

December 28, 2014

Incident Code

CS039

LOCATION

جرابلس, Jarabulus, Cultural center, Aleppo, Syria

An 8.30pm coalition bombing raid on Jarablos – a major Islamic State hub – destroyed a cultural centre being used as an ISIL headquarters in the town. According to Aleppo News, “According to activists, the strikes caused great devastation in the building in addition to the destruction of two civilian houses in the vicinity. Witnesses

Summary

First published
December 28, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
3
(2 women1 man)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
3 named
View Incident

Incident date

December 28, 2014

Incident Code

CS038

LOCATION

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

In one of the the worst known incidents of mass civilian casualties reportedly caused by coalition bombings, at least 51 non-combatants were killed when aircraft struck an Islamic State local headquarters, which was also being used as a temporary prison. Somewhere between 150 and 400 people were being held by ISIL on petty charges at

Summary

First published
December 28, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
51 – 65
(2–4 women30 men)
Civilians reported injured
20
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
31 named
View Incident

Incident date

December 26, 2014

Incident Code

CS037

LOCATION

الباب, Aleppo, Syria

An internal CENTCOM review reported unnamed open sources as claiming civilian casualties had occurred as a result of Coalition airstrikes. A provisional review found that there had been no international airstrikes in the vicinity of the city on that date. Airwars researchers later identified coverage from the time of Assad regime attacks on Aleppo on

Summary

First published
December 26, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
4 – 45
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 26, 2014

Incident Code

CI025

LOCATION

الموصل‎, Mosul, Al Wehda, Nineveh, Iraq

Local residents reported that an “international airstrike” involving three missiles had struck houses killing and injuring civilians. NINA claimed that five women from one family were among the dead.  

Summary

First published
December 26, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
7
(5 women)
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 belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 25, 2014

Incident Code

CI024

LOCATION

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Al Anbar, Iraq

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

Summary

First published
December 25, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 23, 2014

Incident Code

CS036

LOCATION

دير الزور‎, Deir ez-Zor: Ziban street, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Syrian Martyrs and other monitoring sites listed three civilian males as being the victims of a coalition strike. They were named by the VDC and Syrian Martyrs. All three men were listed as residents of Dayr az Zawr, and as having been killed in Ziban Street (شارع زيبان) in the city  

Summary

First published
December 23, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
3
(3 men)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
3 named
View Incident

Incident date

December 21, 2014

Incident Code

CI023

LOCATION

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Al Anbar, Iraq

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

Summary

First published
December 21, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0 – 13
(2–8 children)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 21, 2014

Incident Code

CS035

LOCATION

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Three civilian men were reported killed in an event near the town of Al Bab, after a US aircraft dropped a 500lb bomb on a fleeing ISIL suspect. They were later named by the VDC and Syrian Martyrs. Social media also reported civilian deaths, with one tweet noting: “At least two civilians martyred in the

Summary

First published
December 21, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
3
(2 children3 men)
Civilians reported injured
2
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
3 named
View Incident

Incident date

December 16, 2014

Incident Code

CI022

LOCATION

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

In an event previously unreported by Airwars, an internal Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) reported “4 unknown persons potentially injured while moving into the engagement area,” during a Coalition airstrike on Objective Nebula, a targeted vehicle. France later confirmed that it had carried out a targeted strike in Mosul on that date, though it is not

Summary

First published
December 16, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0
(4 children)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 13, 2014

Incident Code

CI021

LOCATION

الرمادي, Ramadi, Al Anbar, Iraq

In an event previously unreported by Airwars, Coalition reported an unspecified open source as publishing a picture of a dead child “without any identification of original location”. According to provisional analysis “There was one airstrike in Ramadi on 13 December (strike #1266) which was unlikely to have caused the death.” No further action was recorded

Summary

First published
December 13, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 child)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 12, 2014

Incident Code

CS034

LOCATION

كشيش, Kashish, Al Hassakah, Syria

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

Summary

First published
December 12, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
(2 men)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Weak
Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 11, 2014

Incident Code

CS033

LOCATION

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

A shepherd boy aged 10, 14 or 15, and named as Muhammad Qasim (or sometimes Mohammed Abd al Kareem), was reportedly killed in a coalition airstrike on a nearby Islamic State military base. An investigation by the Syrian Network for Human Rights later concluded: “Around 2:45 in the afternoon an international alliance warplane raided over

Summary

First published
December 11, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 child)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

December 9, 2014

Incident Code

CI020

LOCATION

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Al Anbar, Iraq

Up to 9 civilians were reported killed and 32 injured in what NINA described as a “coalition airstrike” on people queuing for fuel in the city. On the following day Al Jazeera, Rudaw, NINA and Mobtaba all described attacks on the districts of “Al Jolan north of the city, Nizal in the centre of the

Summary

First published
December 9, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
8 – 9
(2–3 children)
Civilians reported injured
32
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

December 2, 2014

Incident Code

CS032

LOCATION

المريعية, Marbaʼīyah, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Two civilian males, both residents of the village of Al-Mrey’iya, were reported by SOHR to have been killed in a coalition airstrike. They were named as Hassan Al Ali Al Zahiya and Moyyed Mohammad Al Assaf. The Committee for the Defence of Democracy, Freedoms and Human Rights also named the two men as civilians –

Summary

First published
December 2, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
(2 men)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Named victims
2 named
View Incident

Incident date

November 25, 2014

Incident Code

CS031

LOCATION

بنش, Binnish, Idlib, Syria

There were claims that a ‘civilian male’, named as Dergham Karah Ali, was killed in a Coalition airstrike on the village of Binnish in Idlib governorate. However, two videos later emerged challenging Ali’s non-combatant status. One showed him singing a moderate resistance song. The second video, posted by Islamic State, indicated that Ali had later

Summary

First published
November 25, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0 – 1
(0–1 men)
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
Suspected target
ISIS
Named victims
1 named
Belligerents reported killed
1
View Incident

Incident date

November 22, 2014

Incident Code

CI019

LOCATION

يت, Hit, hospital and Zohour, Al Anbar, Iraq

Multiple airstrikes reportedly targeted Hit, allegedly leading to significant civilian casualties. News agency Herak reported one eyewitness as saying that five airstrikes had struck the city: “The first targeted outside a hospital building, and the other targeted a house near the mosque. A further air strike targeted a house in the Qadisiyah district, leading to

Summary

First published
November 22, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
5 – 8
(3 children)
Civilians reported injured
9–35
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerents
US-led Coalition, Unknown
View Incident

Incident date

November 19, 2014

Incident Code

CI018

LOCATION

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq

The FBI informed CENTCOM internally on November 21st 2014 that a source had alleged the deaths of “41 Yezidi captive females killed in a strike on a named OBJ IVO [objective in the vicinity of] Mosul.” The closest strike, number 999, was identified by CENTCOM as having taken place some 3.2km from the site of

Summary

First published
November 19, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
41
(41 women)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Weak
Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

November 17, 2014

Incident Code

CI017

LOCATION

القيارة, Qayyarah, Nineveh, Iraq

Multiple civilians were reported killed as a result of air raids launched by the coalition south of Mosul. The National Iraqi News Agency cited forensic sources as saying that 16 people, including six women and children, were killed. Other media reported that up to “22 Daesh militants” were also killed in coalition airstrikes in the

Summary

First published
November 17, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
16
(3 children3 women)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident date

November 13, 2014

Incident Code

CS030

LOCATION

Deir Ez Zor Oil Collection Point, Deir Ezzor, Syria

An internal Coalition report noted that civilians may have been killed near an oil collection point in Deir Ez Zor. The Coalition assessed the incident as non-credible: “Open source video indicated that three civilians were killed in a deliberate strike on an oil collection point in DeZ. 13 Nov 2014: Review could not determine that

Summary

First published
November 13, 2014
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
3
Airwars civilian harm grading
Discounted
Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
Suspected belligerent
US-led Coalition
View Incident