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

21 December 2014

Incident Code

CS035

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria
Three civilian men were reported killed in an event near the town of Al Bab, after a US aircraft dropped a 500lb bomb on a fleeing ISIL suspect. They were later named by the VDC and Syrian Martyrs. Social media also reported civilian deaths, with one tweet noting: “At least two civilians martyred in the…

Summary

Published
21 December 2014
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

Incident Code

CI022

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
In an event previously unreported by Airwars, an internal Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) reported “4 unknown persons potentially injured while moving into the engagement area,” during a Coalition airstrike on Objective Nebula, a targeted vehicle. France later confirmed that it had carried out a targeted strike in Mosul on that date, though it is not…

Summary

Published
16 December 2014
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

Incident Code

CI021

Location

الرمادي, Ramadi, Al Anbar, Iraq
In an event previously unreported by Airwars, Coalition reported an unspecified open source as publishing a picture of a dead child “without any identification of original location”. According to provisional analysis “There was one airstrike in Ramadi on 13 December (strike #1266) which was unlikely to have caused the death.” No further action was recorded…

Summary

Published
13 December 2014
Civilians reported killed
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

12 December 2014

Incident Code

CS034

Location

كشيش, Kashish, Al Hassakah, Syria
Two unnamed civilian males were reported by a single source to have been killed in a coalition airstrike on the village of Kashish,  

Summary

Published
12 December 2014
Civilians reported killed
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

11 December 2014

Incident Code

CS033

Location

مسكنة, Jirah Military Airbase, al Maskana, Aleppo, Syria
A shepherd boy aged 10, 14 or 15, and named as Muhammad Qasim (or sometimes Mohammed Abd al Kareem), was reportedly killed in a coalition airstrike on a nearby Islamic State military base. An investigation by the Syrian Network for Human Rights later concluded: “Around 2:45 in the afternoon an international alliance warplane raided over…

Summary

Published
11 December 2014
Civilians reported killed
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

Incident Code

CI020

Location

الفلوجة‎, Fallujah, Al Anbar, Iraq
Up to 9 civilians were reported killed and 32 injured in what NINA described as a “coalition airstrike” on people queuing for fuel in the city. On the following day Al Jazeera, Rudaw, NINA and Mobtaba all described attacks on the districts of “Al Jolan north of the city, Nizal in the centre of the…

Summary

Published
9 December 2014
Civilians reported killed
8–9
Civilians reported injured
32
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident