Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2424

Incident date

September 11, 2017

Location

قرية الحوايج, al-Hawaij river crossing, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.0528105, 40.4941326 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes at al-Hawaij river crossing in Deir Ezzor killed between seven and 26 civilians and wounded between two and 24 others, according to sources on the ground. Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime.

The civilians were reported to have been crossing from one side of the Euphrates to the other when the bombs hit their boats.

Many people were killed at the river crossings on this day, and there are multiple crossings, therefor it is unclear who died where on which day.

Deir Ezzor 24 reported the use of cluster bombs, saying that ‘people were unable to withdraw the [bodies of the] martyrs and the wounded as a result of the continuous shelling’. Deir Ezzor 24’s Mohammad Hassan said that the death toll was likely to rise, and that many bodies were seen floating in the river.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least seven were killed, including four children and as many as 76 were wounded, including 30 children.

Smart News and the Syrian Network for Human Rights said that  implicated the Syrian regime’s forces in the shelling in addition to the Russian forces.

White phosphorous bombs were reportedly used by some local media.

The identities of those killed are unclear, with sources identifying the same victims in two different attacks in the area – one in the Hawaij river crossing, and the other in al-Kharita.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Fatumah Al-Ahmad Al-Ahli
Age unknown female listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Hasan al-Jassem al-Ahli
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Bushra Hasan al-Jassim al-Ahli
Age unknown female listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Abdullah Hassan Al-Jassem Al-Ahl
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Mohammad Nur al-Jassim al-Ahli
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Khaled Atallah Al-Jassem Al-Ahli
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed

Family members (2)

Melhem Sultan
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well; was a mechanic acc to R2281 killed
Abdullah Melhem Sultan
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed

Family members (2)

Jihad Hussein al-Hamad
Age unknown male verified by a second source in this event, but listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
mother of Jihad Hussein al-Hamad
Age unknown female killed

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Amin al-Tammawi
Age unknown male verified by a second source in this event, but listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Mohamed Taha Al-Awaid
Age unknown male verified by a second source in this event, but listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Mohammed Taha Al-Awaid
Age unknown male could be a repeat of the previous person, unless it’s two people with the same name killed
Abdullah Fadel Al-Taha
Age unknown male resident of al Kharita; verified by a second source in this event, but listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Hakem Ahmed al-Hamdaki
Age unknown male resident of al Kharita (different source says he’s from al Zoghair) killed
Hamad Musa al-Husain
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Mohammed Ismail al-Hussein
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Buhayra Mohammed Ismail al-Hussein
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Wa'im Jabir Yassin al-Amer
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Ayesha Ahmed al-Hussein
Age unknown female listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Hassan Saleh Aldbaan
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Wadha Ameer al-Abdullah
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Ahmed Diab Al-Issa
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Aysha Muhammad al-'Uwaid
Age unknown female listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Hajj al-Ahmad al-Hamdki
Age unknown male listed by another source earlier, but could be a different person in the family. Also listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Osama Ali Awad al-Hilu
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Abdi al-Ali al-Hammadi
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Jassim Mohammed al-Dahadi
Age unknown male listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Ammar al-Husain al-Mousa
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed
Turki al-Mahmood
Age unknown listed as a victim in R2281 as well killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 30
  • (1–5 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–76
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Reportage of the airstrikes, 11th September 2017. (via JisirTV)
  • [this image doesn't have a caption, so I'm not sure what it represents. An exploded missile, perhaps?] (via Insaan News)
  • Hakim Ahmed al-Hamdaki was killed by the alleged Russian air raids on the crossing at al Hawaij town on September 11th 2017. (via Euphrates Post)

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

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 30
  • (1–5 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–76
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (33) [ collapse]