Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

CS417 TS025

Incident date

December 17, 2016

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three unnamed civilian males were reported killed in a Turkish (or less likely Coalition) action at al Bab. The Coalition later denied responsibility.

According to Step News, “Turkish planes targeted al Bab, east of Aleppo, with three raids and there are news about casualties.” VDC later reported three unidentfied male civilian deaths – though said these were a result of actions by “International Coalition forces.”

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event was presently assessed as ‘Not credible’ with “no Coalition strikes conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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, Turkish Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Tweet reporting more than 50 alleged Turkish raids targeting al Bab over the last 12 hours. 17th December 2016. (via Muhammad Smiry)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al-Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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
  • Stated location
    near Al Bab, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For December 16th-18th 2016 the Coalition has publicly reported no strikes in the vicinity.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For December 14th to 20th, France reports 10 strikes: 8 in Iraq – 7 of which were in Mosul – and 2 in Syria. They reported that 16 targets were destroyed.

#Chammal : 10 frappes contre Daech en Irak et en Syrie cette semaine, 16 objectifs détruits.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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, Turkish Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS026

Incident date

December 17–19, 2016

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The ISIS propaganda outlet Al A’amaq reported that 22 civilians were killed and 53 injured as a result of Turkish artillery shelling and airstrike in Al Bab, Syria.

It wrote: “22 dead and 53 injured among the residents of Al Bab who fell over the last two days following Turkish artillery and aerial bombardment.”

There are currently no other known sources available, with some of the numbered fatalities potentially linked to other listed events between December 17th and 19th.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    22
  • Civilians reported injured
    53
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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

Original strike reports

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For December 14th to 20th, France reports 10 strikes: 8 in Iraq – 7 of which were in Mosul – and 2 in Syria. They reported that 16 targets were destroyed.

#Chammal : 10 frappes contre Daech en Irak et en Syrie cette semaine, 16 objectifs détruits.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    22
  • Civilians reported injured
    53
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS415

Incident date

December 16, 2016

Location

الشدادي, Shadadi, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.056316, 40.730438 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Sixteen child soldiers were killed in Coalition airstrikes at al Shadadi, according to a local source.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Abd al Nasser Al Saleh al Waiss
14 years years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 16
  • (16 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mohammad Abd al Nasser Al Saleh al Waiss (via Euphrates Post)
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 Shadadi, 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 December 15th-17th 2016, the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in Deir Ezzor governorate.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 16
  • (16 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS416 TS024

Incident date

December 16, 2016

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between eleven and 15 civilians were reported killed in a Turkish (or less likely Coalition) action at al Bab.

According to LCCSY eleven civilians died, “most of them killed in Coalition raids on al Bab.”However, the source had consistently denied civilian harm from Turkish actions during the al-Bab campaign.

Al Bab News reported “more than 15 dead most of them women and children and dozens injured as a result of the bombardment on al Bab yesterday. There are families still under the rubble and the rescue operations are underway.”

However ISIS’s media wing reported “intense raids with more than 15 Turkish air raids and 180 shells falling on al Bab in the Aleppo countryside since dawn today.” And the Syrian Observatory reported that “Turkish warplanes bombed areas on the outskirts of al-Bab city which is under the control of the “Islamic State” northeast of Aleppo province, amid clashes in several places in the area between members of the organisation against the factions of Euphrates Shield supported by Turkish forces, which caused casualties.”

The Syrian Network suggested Free Syrian Army (FSA) or Turkish artillery may also have been responsible: “Three civilians from the same family including a child died in Der’ Al Furat forces, supported by Turkish forces, artillery fired shells on Al Bab city in Aleppo governorate eastern suburbs, December 16, 2016.”

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event was presently assessed as ‘Not credible for Coalition caused civcas.’

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 15
  • 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
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Khaled Shaban reports more than 150 shells fired and 15 air raids targeting al Bab allegedly by Turkish forces and allied militias since dawn. 16th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • Jahra online reports Turkish army declarations that they had destroyed 60 Daesh targets near al Bab amid accusations of killing civilians. 16th December 2016. (via Jahra)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al-Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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
  • Stated location
    near Al Bab, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For December 15th-17th 2016 the Coalition has publicly reported no strikes in the vicinity.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For December 14th to 20th, France reports 10 strikes: 8 in Iraq – 7 of which were in Mosul – and 2 in Syria. They reported that 16 targets were destroyed.

#Chammal : 10 frappes contre Daech en Irak et en Syrie cette semaine, 16 objectifs détruits.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 15
  • 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
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC054

Incident date

December 16, 2016

Location

قنفودة, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.028594, 20.026959 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians died and as many as three more were wounded in an alleged UAE airstrike on a residential area in Ganfouda, Benghazi, local media reported.

Alnabaa tweeted that “a source from Ganfouda said the two were killed in a foreign bombing of a family home in the area”.

According to Emhona “a man, a woman and a child were injured when a UAE drone bombed the Qanfouda residential area”.

UNSMIL said in its monthly report that one person – a boy – was injured.

Saraya Media Center claimed on Telegram that the strike was conducted by the UAE and posted a picture of a boy injured in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A picture published by Saraya Media Center shows one of the children injured in the strike (Source: Shura Benghazi)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Ganfouda (قنفودة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.028594, 20.026959. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Ganfouda (قنفودة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI373

Incident date

December 15, 2016

Location

أحياء النور والفلاح والقدس شر, Mosul, Northeast, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3446163, 43.2249784 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

More than a dozen civilians – and possibly more than 40 – were reported killed in eastern Mosul.

Yaqein reported that 15 civilians were killed by a missile on the east side of Mosul, all from the same family – though a source it cited put the death toll lower, at 12. It did not say who was responsible but noted that the deaths came amid fighting in the area.

A separate account posted on Naynawaalghad.tv indicated that a higher number – over 40 civilians, including women and children – were killed as a result of air and artillery bombardments. That account and others referenced victims still being trapped under rubble and isolated from rescuers due to continued fighting.

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials requested additional information concerning the alleged event.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 40
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ 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
  • 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 December 14th-15th, the Coalition reported “Near Mosul, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed a fighting position; suppressed 11 ISIL tactical units and 13 mortar teams.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 40
  • 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, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS023

Incident date

December 15, 2016

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The ISIS-affiliated media propaganda outlet Al A’amaq reported one civilian dead and others injured as a result of a Turkish bombardment of Al Bab.

It wrote: “One person killed and eight injured following Turkish bombardment targeting al Bab in the Aleppo countryside this afternoon.”

There are no other known details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI372

Incident date

December 14, 2016

Location

حي السكر, Mosul, Sukkar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.386139, 43.168111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were reportedly killed in an alleged Coalition strike on al Sukkar, survivors told the US news magazine Buzzfeed. The alliance later accepted responsibility for the incident.

Buzzfeed met with survivors in mid-2017, with the outlet later sharing its incident notes with Airwars: Eyewitness told journalist Mike Giglio when he met him at his home he had lost his wife and three daughters.

Date and approximate time: December 14, 2016, at around 12:45 pm

Casualties: The wife and three daughters of Abu Ali, a Jordan native who has been living in Mosul since the 1980s.

Comments: Abu Ali left his home to get gas for the family generator when the strike hit. There was no fighting in the neighbourhood. It had a heavy ISIS presence, but there were no ISIS-held buildings in the immediate vicinity. Abu Ali and witnesses were not sure why the strike hit there; they speculated that might be an important ISIS member was driving by. The blast destroyed the home and killed everyone inside.

In its September 2017 monthly casualty report, the Coalition accepted responsibility: Dec. 14, 2016, near Mosul, Iraq, via media report: During a strike on an ISIS mortar position engaging partner forces, it was assessed that four civilians were unintentionally killed.

Officials confirmed to Airwars that this incident related to al Sukkur, with coordinates matching those provided by Buzzfeed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

The wife of Abu Ali
Adult female killed
Abu Ali's daughter 1
Age unknown killed
Abu Ali's daughter 2
Age unknown killed
Abu Ali's daughter 3
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Sukkar (السكر) in the east of Mosul. The generic coordinates for this neighbourhood are: 36.3910949, 43.1676006. Exact coordinates of the strike were provided by the eyewitness: 36.386139, 43.168111.

  • Location of the strike in the neighbourhood of Sukkar (السكر) in the east of Mosul

    Imagery:
    © 2019 Google

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    4
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3569628336
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 1, 2017

  • Dec. 14, 2016, near Mosul, Iraq, via media report: During a strike on an ISIS mortar position engaging partner forces, it was assessed that four civilians were unintentionally killed.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For December 13th-14th, the Coalition reported “Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed three fighting positions, a supply cache, a bunker, a tunnel, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and a mortar system; suppressed two mortar systems and a bunker, and damaged six supply routes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]