Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1820 CS439a

Incident date

January 11, 2017

Location

تفتناز, Taftanaz, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.99832, 36.78579 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians were killed in alleged Russian, Syrian regime, and or US led Coalition airstrikes on Taftanaz. Sources are conflicted as to who was to blame. Most sources blame Russia and the Syrian regime, however there were also two allegations against the Coalition. 

As many as four civilians were also wounded – according to sources – some with serious injures that it was estimated the death toll would likely rise.

According to some source the three adult males pictures were displaced civilians from the same family, however many sources also reported that they were three leaders of the “Lwa’a Al Haq” in the operations room of the “Fatah Army”, also known as the Free Syrian Army.

Sources reported that residential homes were struck in the raid, causing huge fired and destroying much infrastructure.

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.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Hamid al-Zobaa al-Mulhim
Adult male possible fighter killed
Abu Namis al-Jubouri
Adult male possible fighter killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 4
  • (0–3 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 belligerents
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Three victims of the alleged raids on Taftanaz, 11th January 2017. Possibly fighters. (via Tasnimnews)
  • Three victims of the alleged raids on Taftanaz, 11th January 2017. Possibly fighters. (via @abozaid_alshame)
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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between January 1st – 31st 2017.

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
    37SCV004858
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020
  • Jan. 11, 2017, in Taftanaz, 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. 3095/CS439a 37SCV004858

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 4
  • (0–3 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 belligerents
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]