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

6 April 2016

Incident Code

CI219

Location

حاج علي, Haj Ali, Nineveh, Iraq
Local sources claimed “dozens of civilians” including children and women were killed or injured after Coalition or Iraq government jets targeted Haj Ali village in Qayyarah south of Mosul. While most social media reports blamed the Iraqi military for the event, others blamed the Coalition or both. Yaqen, for example, said it was a joint…

Summary

Published
6 April 2016
Civilians reported killed
30
Civilians reported injured
10–40
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

5 April 2016

Incident Code

CI215

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
A likely targeted operation in Mosul killed ISIL’s media chief in the city when his car was struck – but also reportedly slew his wife and five children. The nighttime attack reportedly killed Daesh ‘Media Minister’ Abdel Qader in his car in the vicinity of the city’s Saddam Hospital. However, according to NRN News, “his…

Summary

Published
5 April 2016
Civilians reported killed
6
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

5 April 2016

Incident Code

CI216

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
In the third reported civilian casualty event of the day, seven civilians from the same family including children and women were reported killed after Coalition jets allegedly targeted an ISIL-occupied house but missed, instead striking the next door house. The attack reportedly took place in the Engineers neighbourhood of west Mosul, and the Daesh militants…

Summary

Published
5 April 2016
Civilians reported killed
7
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

5 April 2016

Incident Code

CI217

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
In what may be the same incident as CI216 or CI218 – or a separate targeted killing operation – the US revealed three weeks after the event that a strike on an ‘ISIL finance emir’ had also killed a woman civilian. Three months later CENTCOM revealed two additional civilian deaths in the event. General Peter…

Summary

Published
5 April 2016
Civilians reported killed
3
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

5 April 2016

Incident Code

CS197

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
A former Syrian table tennis champion and national coach named as Mukhles Ismaeil Khreaban was reported by VDC as having died “Due to coalition air force’s shelling.” The Public Committee for Sports and Youth in Syria later published a detailed obituary: “The teacher Mukhles Khreiban was martyred yesterday on Tuesday evening in the province of…

Summary

Published
5 April 2016
Civilians reported killed
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

4 April 2016

Incident Code

CS196

Location

كنان سلطان, Kinan Sultan, Al Hassakah, Syria
A civilian water worker was reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike at Kinan Sultan. According to Balad News, “A source confirmed that Coalition aircraft targeted drinking water tankers which led to the martyrdom of the citizen Ayman Khader Al Ali, who works on water transport in the southern rural areas Hassakah.” In their February…

Summary

Published
4 April 2016
Civilians reported killed
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident