Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USYEMTr211

Incident date

September 2, 2019

Location

عقبة القنذع, Aqaba Al Qandha, Al Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.680437, 45.594356 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three US drone strikes reportedly targeted a convoy of alleged AQAP militants travelling through Aqaba Al Qandha area of Shabwa governorate, on the morning of September 2nd 2019. No known sources gave information on casualties of the strikes, and there were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

“Private sources” told Shabwa Press that US drones had targeted the militants as they travelled to support pro-government military operations in Shabwa, destroying three cars. Shabwa Press noted that Aqaba al-Qandaa is a key route in the area, linking Beihan with Bayda governorate.

Three local language social media sources, including @alsalahi_fahad, later indicated that there were “charred bodies” in the cars. Identical phrasing in these sources, however, indicates that they reflected one original post. Given the report of multiple bodies, minimum reported deaths has been set at two.

On October 4th 2019, a US Central Command spokesperson told New America that no US military strikes had been conducted in Yemen since June 24th 2019. It is, however, possible that an undeclared strike was conducted by the CIA, or was part of a clandestine US military action.

The incident occured in the morning.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Aqaba Al Qandha (عقبة القنذع) area close to the borders of Shabwa (شبوة) and Al Bayda (البيضاء) governorates. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Aqaba Al Qandha are: 14.680437, 45.594356.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces

On October 4, 2019, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) replied to an email inquiry from New America confirming that “the last strike conducted by CENTCOM in Yemen was 24 June.” Per that statement, there were no CENTCOM strikes in Yemen in September 2019.

The lack of strikes in September makes it more than three months since the last U.S. military counterterrorism strike in Yemen, according to New America’s research. However, it is possible that the United States has conducted covert non-military strikes, and in recent years there have been a small number of strikes attributed by media reports to the United States that CENTCOM has denied conducting

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (31) [ collapse]