Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS058

Incident date

February 23, 2015

Location

الجيسي, Al Jesse, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.786346, 41.520186 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

It was reported that a coalition airstrike in the vicinity of Al Hassakah had killed three unnamed civilians: “The car was bombed while it was on the bridge of a village near the town [of Al Hassakah] which led to the death of three civilians, displaced from the city of Tal Hamis,” according to Thawrah. The location was identified by other sources as the village of al-Jesse

According to Step Agency, the international coalition had targeted a number of militant vehicles in the vicinity that day: “From its side coalition flights struck ISIL gatherings in the countryside of the town of Tal Tamer after it took control of several villages and had seized several SUVs from Kurdish units. These cars were targeted by the coalition with strikes.” However Step Agency also described those killed in al-Jesse as non-combatants.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

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
    a:1:{i:0;s:24:"insufficient_information";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near al-Jaysee, al-Hassakah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2018

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The coalition has confirmed multiple airstrikes in the region. For February 22nd-23rd it notes: “Near Al Hasakah, 11 airstrikes struck ten ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL bunker and an ISIL fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR for February 22, 2015 – February 23, 2015
Original
Annotated

Report Date

February 23, 2015

On Feb. 22, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 18 airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted seven airstrikes in Iraq, using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 22, and 8 a.m., Feb. 23, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Al Hasakah, 11 airstrikes struck ten ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL bunker and an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Dayr az Zawr, an airstrike struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.
* Near Kobani, six airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit, four ISIL tactical units, an ISIL fighting position and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions.
Iraq
* Near Al Asad, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, an ISIL fighting position and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint and an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Ar Rutbah, an airstrike [British] destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Kirkuk, an airstrike stuck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Mosul, an airstrike struck an ISIL checkpoint.
* Near Tal Afar, an airstrike destroyed four ISIL armored vehicles.’

Follow-up note from CJTF-OIR:
As a correction to yesterday’s airstrike press release, the following strikes took place between 8a.m., Feb. 22, and 8 a.m., Feb. 23, local time. These airstrikes were inadvertently omitted from yesterday

Report Date

February 23, 2015

Report Summary

  • 25 total strikes
  • 18 in Syria
  • 7 in Iraq

Report Summary

  • 27 total strikes
  • 8 in Iraq (1411 – 1419)
  • 19 in Syria (1106 – 1124)

Confirmed Actions

US, UK

On Feb. 22, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 18 airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted seven airstrikes in Iraq, using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 22, and 8 a.m., Feb. 23, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:

Syria

February 22, 2014
Syria: 18 strikes
Iraq: 7 strikes
Near Al Hasakah, 11 airstrikes struck ten ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL bunker and an ISIL fighting position.
Near Dayr az Zawr, an airstrike struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.
Near Kobani, six airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit, four ISIL tactical units, an ISIL fighting position and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions.

Iraq

Near Al Asad, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, an ISIL fighting position and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint and an ISIL fighting position.
Near Ar Rutbah, an airstrike [British] destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
Near Kirkuk, an airstrike stuck an ISIL tactical unit.
Near Mosul, an airstrike struck an ISIL checkpoint.
Near Tal Afar, an airstrike destroyed four ISIL armored vehicles.’

Follow-up note from CJTF-OIR:

As a correction to yesterday’s airstrike press release, the following strikes took place between 8a.m., Feb. 22, and 8 a.m., Feb. 23, local time. These airstrikes were inadvertently omitted from yesterday

UK MoD for February 22, 2015 – February 23, 2015
Original
Annotated

Report Date

February 23, 2015

The early hours of Monday morning [February 23rd] saw a Tornado patrol operating in the far west of Iraq, conducting an armed reconnaissance mission searching for terrorist movement across the open desert. An ISIL armed vehicle was detected, and attacked with a Brimstone missile.

Report Date

February 23, 2015

The early hours of Monday morning [February 23rd] saw a Tornado patrol operating in the far west of Iraq, conducting an armed reconnaissance mission searching for terrorist movement across the open desert. An ISIL armed vehicle was detected, and attacked with a Brimstone missile.

Incident Code

CS056

Incident date

February 22, 2015

Location

سليمة, Salima, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.5842441, 41.6493416 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A number of sources report that up to 10 civilians, including possibly children, were killed after the coalition mistakenly bombed the wrong village. According to the Stepagency site: “Today six children and a few other civilians were killed in the village of Salima after the coalition planes bombed the village by mistake as it was supposed to bomb the village of Khuza’a, which lies next door and where fierce battles are taking place between IS and Kurdish militia. A number of other civilians were martyred when the coalition bombed the villages of Lazzaka and al Taweel.”

Other sources reported only two non-combatants killed.

In February 2019, the Coalition assessed this event to be not credible – their report noted: “After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”

 

The incident occured around dusk.

The victims were named as:

Sarhan Khodar Al Abbas
Adult male killed
Ali Hijab Al Abbas
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (6 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the strike to have occurred in the village of Salima (قرية سليمة), near Al-Shadadi (الشدادي ), Al Hasaka, in the “evening”. The coordinates for the midpoint of Salima (قرية سليمة) are: 36.5842441, 41.6493416. The incident was first reported at 00:05, Feb. 23rd, 2015 local time by Step Agency

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
    Other
  • Stated location
    near Salima, al-Shadadi, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SGA369518
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 28, 2019

  • Feb. 22, 2015, near Salima, al-Shadadi, Syria, via Airwars report. After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The coalition has confirmed 13 airstrikes in the vicinity. It reports that for February 21st-22nd 2015, “Near Al Hasakah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (6 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (6) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR for February 21, 2015 – February 22, 2015
Original
Annotated

Report Date

February 22, 2015

On Feb. 21, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, fighter and bomber aircraft to conduct six airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted four airstrikes in Iraq, using attack and fighter aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 21, and 8 a.m., Feb. 22, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Al Hasakah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units.
* Near Dayr az Zawr, an airstrike destroyed an artillery system.
* Near Kobani, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, an ISIL counter mobility berm and destroyed two ISIL checkpoints.
Iraq
* Near Kirkuk, an airstrike stuck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed nine ISIL vehicles, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL building.
* Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

Report Date

February 22, 2015

Report Summary

  • 10 total strikes
  • 6 in Syria
  • 4 in Iraq

Report Summary

  • 10 total strikes
  • 4 in Iraq (1407 – 1410)
  • 6 in Syria (1100 – 1105)

Confirmed Actions

US

On Feb. 21, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, fighter and bomber aircraft to conduct six airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted four airstrikes in Iraq, using attack and fighter aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 21, and 8 a.m., Feb. 22, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:

Syria

February 21, 2014
Syria: 6 strikes
Iraq: 4 strikes
Near Al Hasakah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units.
Near Dayr az Zawr, an airstrike destroyed an artillery system.
Near Kobani, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, an ISIL counter mobility berm and destroyed two ISIL checkpoints.

Iraq

Near Kirkuk, an airstrike stuck an ISIL tactical unit.
Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed nine ISIL vehicles, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL building.
Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

CJTF–OIR for February 20, 2015 – February 21, 2015
Original
Annotated

Report Date

February 21, 2015

On Feb. 20, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using bomber aircraft to conduct an airstrike. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted five airstrikes in Iraq, using attack and fighter aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 20, and 8 a.m., Feb. 21, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Kobani, an airstrike destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.
Iraq
* Near Al Asad, an airstrike destroyed six ISIL boats.
* Near Ar Rutbah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Mosul, an airstrike [British?] destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit, an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL buildings.

Report Date

February 21, 2015

Report Summary

  • 6 total strikes
  • 1 in Syria
  • 5 in Iraq

Report Summary

  • 6 total strikes
  • 5 in Iraq (1402 – 1406)
  • 1 in Syria (1099)

Confirmed Actions

US, UK

On Feb. 20, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using bomber aircraft to conduct an airstrike. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted five airstrikes in Iraq, using attack and fighter aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 20, and 8 a.m., Feb. 21, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:

Syria

February 20, 2014
Syria: 1 strikes
Iraq: 5 strikes
Near Kobani, an airstrike destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.

Iraq

Near Al Asad, an airstrike destroyed six ISIL boats.
Near Ar Rutbah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
Near Mosul, an airstrike [British?] destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit, an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL buildings.

UK MoD for February 20, 2015 – February 21, 2015
Original
Annotated

Report Date

February 21, 2015

RAF Tornado GR4s provided close air support on Friday 20 February to peshmerga units in the front line against ISIL. A terrorist position was identified in north-western Iraq, on the banks of the River Tigris, and attacked with a Paveway IV precision guided bomb.

Report Date

February 21, 2015

RAF Tornado GR4s provided close air support on Friday 20 February to peshmerga units in the front line against ISIL. A terrorist position was identified in north-western Iraq, on the banks of the River Tigris, and attacked with a Paveway IV precision guided bomb.

CJTF–OIR for February 19, 2015 – February 20, 2015
Original
Annotated

Report Date

February 20, 2015

On Feb. 19, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct five airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted 10 airstrikes in Iraq, using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 19, and 8 a.m., Feb. 20, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Al Hasakah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL mobile oil rig.
* Near Kobani, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL building.
Iraq
* Near Haditha, an airstrike destroyed three ISIL boats.
* Near Kirkuk, an airstike struck an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Mosul, five airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL armored vehicle, an ISIL building and an ISIL excavator.
* Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL buildings.
* Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL culvert, an ISIL bunker and an ISIL fighting position.

Report Date

February 20, 2015

Report Summary

  • 15 total strikes
  • 5 in Syria
  • 10 in Iraq

Report Summary

  • 14 total strikes
  • 10 in Iraq (1392 – 1401)
  • 4 in Syria (1094 – 1098)

Confirmed Actions

US

On Feb. 19, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct five airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted 10 airstrikes in Iraq, using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., Feb. 19, and 8 a.m., Feb. 20, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:

February 19, 2014
Syria: 5 strikes
Iraq: 10 strikes

Syria

Near Al Hasakah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL mobile oil rig.
Near Kobani, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL building.

Iraq

Near Haditha, an airstrike destroyed three ISIL boats.
Near Kirkuk, an airstike struck an ISIL fighting position.
Near Mosul, five airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL armored vehicle, an ISIL building and an ISIL excavator.
Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL buildings.
Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL culvert, an ISIL bunker and an ISIL fighting position.