Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI123

Incident date

October 16, 2015

Location

يت, Hit, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.642631, 42.829814 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, ten civilians were killed and 23 wounded after Coalition aircraft struck Hit city, in the west of Anbar province. According to Iraqi Revolution a number of civilian homes at Shap Corniche were destroyed in the attack which had targeted Daesh elements, with children reportedly among the victims. One photograph showed a man cradling dead or injured child.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–33
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Residents at site of alleged Oct 16th Coalition strike at Hit which reportedly killed 10 civilians (via Iraqi Revolution)
  • A man cradles a child casualty of an alleged Coalition strike at Hit, Oct 16th 2015 (via Iraqi Spring)
  • Another image of the aftermath of the event (via Iraqi Revolution)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 15th-17th 2015, no strikes were publicly reported at Hit by the Coalition.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–33
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS137

Incident date

October 15, 2015

Location

الأتارب, Al Atarib, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1375975, 36.8284035 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a Coalition targeted strike, three men were killed when a car was destroyed at Al Atarib on the road between Sarmada and Bab Al-Hawa.

The Coalition originally reported destroying a car at Aleppo on October 15th-16th 2015. This was later amended to a US unilateral action, a targeted killing which the Pentagon said had killed Abdul Mohsen Adballah Ibrahim al Charekh, aka Sanafi al-Nasr (pictured right), described as “a Saudi national and the highest ranking leader of the network of veteran al-Qaeda operatives sometimes called the ‘Khorasan Group’… Al-Nasr is the fifth senior Khorasan Group leader killed in the last four months.”

VDC originally reported three unidentifed males inside the vehicles as civilians. However all three were later admitted by al-Nusra to be combatants, with the others named as Abu Yasser Al Maghrabi and Yassin Al Muhajir, local Aleppo leaders of the group.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • (0–3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 15th-16th 2015, the Coalition originally reported that “Near Aleppo, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • (0–3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS040

Incident date

October 14, 2015

Location

تحتايا, Tahtaya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.510050, 36.714110 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two non-combatant males were killed in an alleged Russian strike on Tahtaya and were later named by the Violations and Documentation Centre.

Syrian regime aircraft also reportedly bombed the town the day before, killing a woman and her daughter.

However according to Qasioun – which posted a video of the attack – the event was the work of Syrian regime aircraft which used a barrel bomb and exploding gas cylinders.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Mubarak
Adult male killed
Mohammad Taha al-Hussain
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village Tahtaya (تحتايا‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.510050, 36.714110. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia has confirmed carrying out airstrikes in Idlib for October 14th-15th 2015: “The Russian aircraft performed 33 combat sorties from Hmeymim airbase engaging 32 ISIS infrastructural facilities in the Idlib, Hama, Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor provinces. The flight intensity of the Russian Aerospace Forces has decreased… Near Al-Atarib, Idlib province, Su-25 attack aircraft carried out strike against underground plant manufacturing high-explosive mines. The militants produced the mines in order to plant them at the highways of the region. The detonation of the explosives caused destruction of the target.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS129

Incident date

September 21, 2015

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An adult male named as Muhammad Khalifa al Hasan – a civil engineer from Bokros in Deir Ezzor – was allegedly killed in a Coalition strike according to some sources. Others said he had died in a regime attack.

A Facebook page covering the locality of Deir Ezzor, where the victim is from, noted that Mr al Hasan “is an engineer with a Masters from the university of Kyoto in Japan and he has degrees and experience from Holland.”

In its monthly civilian harm assessment report for November 2019 – published on January 2nd 2020 – the Coalition classed this event as ‘non credible’, noting: ”September 21, 2015, in Raqqah, 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. 2847/CS129 37SEV008785″.

The Coalition provided geolocates, indicating to within 100 metres the area on which it had focused its assessment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Khalifa al Hasan
Adult male A civil engineer from Bokros in Deir Ezzor, killed in Raqqa killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A tweet reporting the death of 'the engineer Mohammad Khalifa al Hassan from Bokros, Deir Ezzor' in alleged regime strikes on Raqqa city. [via: Justice for Life on 22nd September 2015]
  • Euphrates post tweets news of the death of Mohammad Khalifa Al Hassan in alleged coalition raids on the city of Raqqa. 22nd September 2015

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
  • Stated location
    in Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV008785
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 2, 2020

  • September 21, 2015, in Raqqah, 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. 2847/CS129 37SEV008785

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

No publicly-reported Coalition strike between September 21st-23rd appeared to match this event.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI107

Incident date

September 19, 2015

Location

كبيسة, Kabaisa, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.591421, 42.612228 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family home was reported destroyed in an airstrike at Kubais in Anbar province. Photographs showed a number of injured children, although there were no confirmed overall casualty figures. One of the images used, however, had already been posted by a source in incident CI103.

In its July 2017 monthly report, the Coalition said it had not conducted strikes in the area on the day: “Sep. 19, 2015, near Al Kubais, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Images of supposed victims, first picture had been used before (see CI103, via Iraqi Revolution)

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
    a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Kubais, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

Only one publicly-reported Coalition strike may have been responsible, reported for September 19th-20th 2015: “Near Ramadi, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI106

Incident date

September 18, 2015

Location

الصينيه, Senjah, Salah al-Din, Iraq

Geolocation

34.9346024, 43.4121323 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mass casualty incident was reported in Iraq, with at least 43 civilians killed and a further 68 injured, after aircraft were said to have bombed the Senyah region north west of Bayji. The target appeared to have been a former Iraq Army logistics base, while those killed were living nearby in tin shacks.

Locals urged Iraq’s Prime Minister to open a federal inquiry into the morning strike. Naim al-Gaood, a local tribal leader, told al-Sumaria News: “The warplanes of unknown nationality bombed stores and buildings west of Bayji and north of Salah al-Din, killing [and injurng] about 150 civilians, mostly children, women and the elderly.” He said that among the dead and injured were 50 people from the tribe of Albu Nimr, and demanded that Iraq’s Prime Minister “open an urgent investigation into the identity of the planes that bombed those buildings where displaced families and other clan members of the Albu Nimr tribe had sought safety; and to seek compensation for the victims and the dead.”

In its July 2017 monthly report, the Coalition said it had not conducted strikes in the area on the day: “Sep. 18, 2015, near Al Senyah, Iraq, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties. ”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    43 – 58
  • Civilians reported injured
    68–70
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

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
    a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Senyah, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For September 18th-19th 2015, the Coalition reported that “Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed one vehicle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    43 – 58
  • Civilians reported injured
    68–70
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI091

Incident date

August 8, 2015

Location

الرطبة, Ar Rutbah, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

33.036997, 40.284076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Coalition aircraft were alleged to have struck civilians some 15 km from Ar Rutbah, at the Haj Saleh Mraid Kubaisi glassworks factory. According to a number of sources, some families had fled the town for fear of airstrikes, only for members to be killed in an alleged Coalition attack on a civilian vehicle.

It was claimed by one source that four women from two displaced families were killed at the Mraid plant, with 10 children injured. The deceased women were said to come from the Haj Hammoud and Hajj Abtan al-Shami families.

An alternative source said that a small child, the son of Adib Tariq al-Shami had died along with two daughters of Nuri Faisal Abtan al-Shami.

Two more people were listed as injured.

The US led Coalition declared no strikes in  the vicinity at the time. In its monthly civilian casualty assessment for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year – CJTFOIR assessed this event to be ‘non credible’, noting: “August 8, 2015, in Ar Rutbah, Iraq, 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. 2789/CI091 37SFS199561”.

The Coalition also provided coordinates showing the area it had assessed, accurate to within 100 metres.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nuri al-Faisal al-Shami Abtan
Age unknown male Had a foot amputated injured
Asaad Mahmoud Abu Shami
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 7
  • (2–3 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Two of six or more victim of an alleged Coalition strike near Ar Rutbah, Iraq on August 8 2015 (via Fayad Fayad)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)
  • One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the alleged victims of the strike (via Fayad Fayad)

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
  • Stated location
    in Ar Rutbah, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFS199561
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019

  • August 8, 2015, in Ar Rutbah, Iraq, 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. 2789/CI091 37SFS199561

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

No Coalition strikes were publicly reported in the vicinity of Ar Rutbah for August 7th-9th 2015.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 7
  • (2–3 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS109

Incident date

August 1, 2015

Location

ميادين, Al Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.016667, 40.444167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A 13-year old boy described as a child soldier with ISIL’s Cubs of the Caliphate – later named as Mohammad al A’afr Al Harmoush – was reported killed in a Coalition strike at Al Mayadeen.

In its July 2017 casualty report, the Coalition classed the even as non credible on grounds of having conducted no strikes in the vicinity: “Aug. 1, 2015, near Mayadin, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad al-harmoush
13 years old male He is classed by VDC as a member of ISIS killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Euphrates post tweets that the child Mohammad Al Harmoush, 13 years old, was killed in Bokros by coalition strike. They add that daesh had recruited him to their ranks. 1st August 2015
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

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
  • Stated location
    near Mayadin, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 7, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

Two Coalition strikes were reported in Dayr ez Zawr governorate for July 31st-August 1st 2015: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, two airstrikes destroyed two ISIL buildings and two ISIL vehicles.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition