Incident Codes

RS1375 CS319

Location

البصيرة, al Basira, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.15618, 40.42716
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Codes: R1247S287)

Between four to 20 civilians were reported killed and 12 or more injured after an alleged Coalition, Russian or Assad regime strike at al Basira, according to local media.

A photograph published by Euphrates Post showed what appeared to have been a major strike in a built up area of the town. And a video showed significant damage to a civilian neighbourhood, with a vegetable market also reportedly hit.

Most sources blamed the Assad regime, with Step News suggesting a far higher death toll: “Military regime aircraft today targeted a market in the town of al Basira resulting in a massacre of more than 20 people were killed.

Ara news said 15 civilians were killed by Russia. Al Jazeera also pointed to Russia.

The Syrian Observatory said 10 died at al Basira in unidentified strikes. And Shaam News was also unable to blame the perpetrator.

Eldorar news made no mention of casualties – but said the Coalition had bombed al Basira bridge that day, “which is the last bridges in the eastern countryside linking the villages of the province, north of the Euphrates and villages south.

In their May 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.

Key Information

Country
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
4–20
3 Children, 3 Women
Civilians reported injured
12–24

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of al Basira (البصيرة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.15618, 40.42716. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed
U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
MGRS coordinate
37SFU299912
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
The Coalition reported from September 30 2016: ‘On Sept. 30, coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets' Al-Basira however did not appear on the list of locations that it reportedly targeted.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2020-05-01
Original Source
Sept. 30, 2016, in Al Basira, 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. 3055/CS319 37SFU299912

Media From Sources (3)