Airwars assessment
Five named civilians died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Hajeen, sources on the ground said. The earliest report of casualties was on January 13th, though some reports later claimed the event was on the 14th or even the 15th.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “five civilians, including a woman, were killed as International Coalition warpalnes fired missiles on Hajin city in Deir Ez-Zour eastern suburbs, on January 13, 2018.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also blaming the Coalition, put the death toll at four including “a man and his wife”.
Step News referred to a “massacre” in Hajeen, in which “a family of five including a woman” died.
Euphrates Post and Free Deir Ezzor named the victims. And Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office reported that “Both Matruk al-Saleh and his wife, and Yashar al-Salih, Yasser Shaker Al Isma’il and Abdul Qader Shaker al-Ismail were killed as a result of the shelling that targeted their home in a Hajeen city” – thought this report put the event as January 14th.
Sound and Picture, DCHRS and Qasioun were among other sources attributing the event to the Coalition.
ANHA news agency made no mention of civilian deaths, but reported that “17 Daesh mercenaries were killed during clashes between Syrian Democratic forces and Daesh mercenaries near the village of Hajin”.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (3)
- Matrouk al Saleh Adult male killed
- Wife of Matrouk al Saleh Adult female killed
- Yashar al-Salih female Sometimes spelled Bashar and therefore possibly male. killed
Family members (2)
- Yasser Shaker Al Isma’il Age unknown male killed
- Abdul Qader Shaker al-Ismail Age unknown male killed
Summary
Sources (17) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties
Original strike reports
For January 13th 2018 the Coalition reported that “On Jan. 13 in Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes consisting of 24 engagements against ISIS targets.
For January 14th, the Coalition reported that "Near Abu Kamal, nine strikes [1 British?] engaged seven ISIS tactical units and destroyed two pieces of ISIS engineering equipment, a fighting position, an ISIS vehicle, an indirect fire weapon, two logistics centers, two VBIED factories, an ISIS line of communication and a UAV."
‘Sunday 14 January – a Reaper eliminated a Daesh drone operator…On Sunday 14 January, a Reaper spotted the third terrorist drone team identified during the week; on this occasion, the extremists attempted to conceal themselves in a building, but could be seen controlling the drone from the top-floor window. A Hellfire was directed accurately through the window.’