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

7 January 2016

Incident Code

CI173

Location

يت, Hit, Al Anbar, Iraq
Local media service Hit News claimed that Coalition airstrikes had struck a residential building in Hit. No further details are presently available. In their February 2020 civilian casualty report, 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…

Summary

Published
7 January 2016
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

7 January 2016

Incident Code

CS163

Location

الهزيمة, Al Hazimah, Raqqa, Syria
Eight children and three women were widely reported killed, in what most sources claimed to be a Coalition airstrike. While Raqqah is Being Slaughtered and Radio Alkul did not attribute the attack, the Syrian Observatory blamed the Coalition: “Eight children and three citizen women were killed in a bombing by the international coalition’s warplanes on…

Summary

Published
7 January 2016
Civilians reported killed
11–12
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

5 January 2016

Incident Code

CS162

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
Airstrikes targeted the Water Foundation building on the outskirts of Raqqah around midnight, killing an employee of the organization and two building guards according to the Syrian Observatory (which did not attribute the strike to any particular party.) Other sources made no mention of casualties, although a propaganda video released by Daesh appeared to show…

Summary

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

Incident Date

1 January 2016

Incident Code

CI172

Location

الرمادي, Hit and Thaiyala, Al Anbar, Iraq
Local sources said that airstrikes – possibly by the Coalition – had struck civilians in Hit and Thaiyala in Anbar province, resulting in deaths and injuries of multiple civilians including women and children. Face Iraq reported that 12 bodies of civilians were later evacuated from Thaiyala, “killed in bombings which had resulted in the deaths…

Summary

Published
1 January 2016
Civilians reported killed
12
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

30 December 2015

Incident Code

CI170

Location

حي سومر, Mosul, Sumer, Nineveh, Iraq
Ten civilian prisoners were reportedly killed in an alleged 5 am Coalition strike on Mosul which targeted the Nineveh provincial council building. According to A3Maq, “international coalition aircraft launched at dawn on Wednesday several raids in which some 20 rockets were fired, The aircraft targeted the marriage contracts office, the Office of the Ombudsman and…

Summary

Published
30 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
10
Civilians reported injured
31
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

30 December 2015

Incident Code

CI171

Location

يت, Hit, Al Anbar, Iraq
An alleged Coalition strike at Hit in Anbar resulted in the deaths of four named civilians. Hit News reported that Coalition strikes hit the area around the Khaled Saadoun mosque and a nearby industrial district “resulting in the deaths of a number of innocent citizens.” In the first of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports,…

Summary

Published
30 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident