Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS904 CS229

Incident date

June 14, 2016

Location

‏الغوز‬, Al Ghouz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4652905, 37.2927583 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family of seven civilians died in an airstrike on the village of Al ghouz, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Coalition.

Aleppo 24 reported that a suspected Russian cluster bomb raid was responsible.

Other sources, including Al Mukhtassar, @ALAMAWI  and Nabd Syria all blamed Russia.

According to Nabd Syria, Russia warplanes killed ten 10 civilians – and wounded others – in “towns of Alguz and Al Samoukah and the Shahba dam area in the countryside north of Aleppo”.

However, LCCSY pointed towards the Coalition, reporting the death of seven people from one family in “airstrikes with cluster bombs, believed to be by International Coalition warplanes.”

Zmanalwasl also said that the bombing was likely carried out by the Coalition.

In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, 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 local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Ghouz (‏الغوز‬), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.4652905, 37.2927583. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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
    Unknown, US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.

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
    37SCA470369
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • June 14, 2016, in Al Ghouz, 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. 2972/CS229 37SCA470369

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 13th - 14th:
• Near Manbij, 13 strikes struck 10 separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL cave entrances, an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL command and control node, two ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL security headquarters.
• Near Mar’a, three strikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL tactical vehicle, and an ISIL mortar system.
For June 14th - 14th:
* Near Manbij, six strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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
    Unknown, US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]