U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

In 2014 a U.S.-led coalition began a campaign of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria – officially known as Operation Inherent Resolve – following the capture of large swathes of the countries by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS). An intense air and ground campaign drove ISIS out of almost all territory by 2018 but resulted in significant destruction and loss of life.

Airwars documented thousands of allegations of civilian harm from U.S.-led Coalition strikes and has conducted numerous major investigations and research papers on the topic.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

8,249 – 13,342

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely U.S.-led Coalition actions in Iraq and Syria for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the U.S.-led Coalition. These originate from 3,003 separate alleged incidents.

1,728 – 2,371
children likely killed
1,127 – 1,468
women likely killed
5,930
likely injured
3,784
named victims

U.S.-led Coalition estimate of civilian deaths

1,457

Confirmed civilian deaths, from U.S.-led Coalition actions in Iraq and Syria, originating from 364 separate incidents of civilian harm.

411
civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
19,217 – 29,816
Locally reported civilian deaths from U.S.-led Coalition actions in Iraq and Syria.
3,003 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
8,249 – 13,342
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by U.S.-led Coalition
1,553 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
2,397 – 2,821
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
435 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
7,877 – 12,576
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
783 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
694 – 1,077
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
232 seperate alleged incidents
2996 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

11 June 2017

Incident Code

CS965b

Location

Ar Raqqah: near Omar Bin Al Khattab mosque, Raqqa, Syria
Five civilians were killed in Coalition artillery strikes. The Coalition conceded a total of eight deaths and 24 injuries clustered across CS965, CS965a and CS965b. To avoid triple counting, the official OIR tally is only counted in CS965. These civilians were initially listed as being victims of an airstrike which killed eight civilians from three…

Summary

Published
11 June 2017
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
7–9
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

11 June 2017

Incident Code

CS963

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
Between four and five civilians died and another six were wounded in Coalition airstrikes and an artillery bombardment on Raqqa, according to local sources. According to Shaam, “Violent battles continue in and around the city of Raqqa between the state organization [IS] and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), during which the SDF was able to…

Summary

Published
11 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
4–5
Civilians reported injured
6
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

11 June 2017

Incident Code

CS964

Location

حويجة السواقي, Hawija al Sawafi, Raqqa, Syria
At least two civilian men and as many as five people were killed in artillery shelling on the village of Hawija al Sawafi in Raqqa governorate. Syria Mirror, a pro-Syrian government source, alleged that the Coalition was responsible and reported the higher casualty rate whereas the two remaining sources – Abu Muaaz and Raqqa is…

Summary

Published
11 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
2–5
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

11 June 2017

Incident Code

CS965c

Location

Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report "War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality", four civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrikes in Raqqa. Although Airwars assesses single sourced incidents as "weak", researchers have assessed this incident "fair" due to the depth of material provided by Amnesty. According to the Amnesty and Airwars’s…

Summary

Published
11 June 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
4
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

10 June 2017

Incident Code

CS955a

Location

شارع النور, Al Nour Mosque, Raqqa, Syria
Initially this incident was reported on by several local sources as alleged Coalition airstrikes in the area behind Barazi pharmacy, near Al Nour mosque in the city of Raqqa. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently blamed “international coalition raids and Kurdish militia artillery”, and put the death toll at more than 33, with dozens more wounded.…

Summary

Published
10 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
5–33
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

10 June 2017

Incident Code

CS956c

Location

حي الدرعية, Dar'iya neighbourhood, Raqqa, Syria
Initially, this incident was reported on by several sources as mass artillery shelling in the Dar’iya neighbourhood in the city of Raqqa, in which 6 to 12 civilians, including a maximum of 6 children and 2 women died and 9 were wounded. During investigations of this event for the April 2019 joint Airwars and Amnesty…

Summary

Published
10 June 2017
Civilians reported killed
5
Civilians reported injured
4
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident