Civilian Casualty Archive

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801 incidents

Incident Date

5 May 2019

Incident Code

USSOM217

Location

Vicinity of Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US military carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Tortoroow, according to a press release from US Africa Command issued the following day. AFRICOM asserted that three al Shabaab fighters were killed, and that it currently assessed that no civilians were harmed in the action. It further noted that the precision airstrike was…

Summary

Published
5 May 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

26 April 2019

Incident Code

USSOM216

Location

Timirshe, Bari, Somalia
The US military carried out an airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia and possibly also al Shabaab in the vicinity  of Timirshe, in the Golis Mountains. According to a press release from US Africa Command issued the following day, three fighters from the terrorist group were killed, with AFRICOM currently assessing that no civilians had been harmed in…

Summary

Published
26 April 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
2–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

19 April 2019

Incident Code

USSOM215

Location

Vicinity of Jamaame, Lower Juba, Somalia
The US military carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Jamaame, Lower Juba Region, according to a press release issued the next day by US Africa Command. It was later reported that one of those killed had been responsible for the death of a US soldier in Somalia in June 2018. AFRICOM's initial press…

Summary

Published
19 April 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

14 April 2019

Incident Code

USSOM214

Location

3 km away from Xiriiro, on the way to Hol Anod, Bari, Somalia
The US military carried out an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia in the vicinity of Xiriiro, Bari Region, killing one high value militant and at least one other alleged fighter. According to AFRICOM - which took the unusual step of publicly naming the target within 24 hours of the operation - the strike killed Abdulhakim Dhuqub, second…

Summary

Published
14 April 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

11 April 2019

Incident Code

USSOM213

Location

Garowle, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US military carried out an airstrike in Garowle, Lower Shabelle region, according to a press release issued by US Africa Command the following day. The release asserted that two terrorists were killed in the strike, and that one motorcycle was also destroyed. It further noted that AFRICOM currently assessed that no civilians were harmed…

Summary

Published
11 April 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

9 April 2019

Incident Code

USSOM212

Location

جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia
The US military carried out an airstrike in Jilib, Middle Juba region, according to a press release issued the following day by US Africa Command. AFRICOM asserted that one terrorist was killed in the strike, and that it currently assessed that no civilians were harmed in the action. For the first time and in the…

Summary

Published
9 April 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

29 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr195

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 29th 2019, one of two on that day, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. In a separate press release, US Central Command stated that all six declared US military strikes in March 2019 strikes had targeted AQAP in Bayda. There were no…

Summary

Published
29 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

29 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr196

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 29th 2019, one of two on that day, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. In a separate press release, US Central Command stated that all six declared US military strikes in March 2019 strikes had targeted AQAP in Bayda. There were no…

Summary

Published
29 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

28 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr194

Location

حدود البيضاء وشبوة, Border of Al Bayda and Shabwa, Al Bayda, Yemen
A US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 28th 2019, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America - one of six declared strikes that month. One local source, Huna Al-Bayda, reported that "three senior al Qaeda leaders were killed in an [US] airstrike by a drone on the border between al-Bayda…

Summary

Published
28 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

26 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr193

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 26th 2019, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. In a separate press release, US Central Command stated that all March 2019 strikes targeted AQAP. There were no other known local reports of a strike on that day according to our Arabic-language researchers,…

Summary

Published
26 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr191

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A confirmed US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 25th 2019, one of two on that day, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. According to a later CENTCOM press release, all US strikes in March 2019 targeted AQAP in Bayda governorate. Multiple sources reported at the time that a drone,…

Summary

Published
25 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr192

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A confirmed US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 25th 2019, one of two on that day, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. According to a later CENTCOM press release, all US strikes in March 2019 targeted AQAP in Bayda governorate. Multiple sources reported at the time that a drone,…

Summary

Published
25 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

20 March 2019

Incident Code

CI878a

Location

Anbar, Al Anbar, Iraq
In an incident previously not tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the death of one civilian and the injury of another near Anbar, Iraq. This was later confirmed to be a US action. As CJTFOIR's June 2019 civilian casualty report noted: "Coalition forces engaged in a small arms fire event. Regrettably, one civilian was…

Summary

Published
20 March 2019
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
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Incident Date

18–19 March, 2019

Incident Code

CS1912

Location

الباغوز, Al Baghouz, Deir Ezzor, Syria
As the SDF sought to take control of Al-Baghouz, the last ISIS territorial stronghold in Syria, local sources reported on what was referred to as a significant "massacre" in which between 160 and 300 civilians including 45 children were alleged killed by Coalition airstrikes according to local sources. However, Central Command has only admitted to killing…

Summary

Published
18 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
4–300
Civilians reported injured
8
Military actors reported killed
16
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

18 March 2019

Incident Code

USSOM209-C

Location

Laantabuur or Abdow Dibile, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Up to four civilians were killed in a US strike in the Lower Shabelle region, international media and investigating NGOs reported from the ground, though US Africa Command claimed that the strike had only killed three "terrorists." It later again officially denied causing any civilian casualties. Initially, allegations of civilian harm came from a Reuters…

Summary

Published
18 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
3–4
Civilians reported injured
0–1
Military actors reported killed
1–4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

13 March 2019

Incident Code

CS1908

Location

الباغوز, Al Baghouz, Deir Ezzor, Syria
Local sources reported that an alleged Coalition airstrike struck Al-Baghouz camp on the night of March 13th. Sources reported varying numbers of civilian deaths. Several sources reported that up to 100 civilians were killed in the airstrike. One source, Christian Turner, tweeted that 20 civilians were killed. All sources reported that most of the victims…

Summary

Published
13 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
20–100
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

13 March 2019

Incident Code

USSOM207

Location

Malayle, between Bar Sanguni and Jamame, Lower Juba, Somalia
US Africa Command stated in a press release issued the following day that it carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Malayle, Lower Juba region on March 13th 2019. AFRICOM stated unusually that it had carried out "a collective self-defense airstrike," explaining that "Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) were conducting a presence patrol in…

Summary

Published
13 March 2019
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Airstrike, Airstrike and/or Artillery
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

12 March 2019

Incident Code

USSOM206

Location

Huley, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
US Africa Command confirmed that it had carried out an airstrike on March 12th 2019 in the vicinity of Huley, Lower Shabelle Region. According to AFRICOM, the airstrike killed two "terrorists", and "at this time, it is assessed no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike." In September 2019, the TRT World Research Centre…

Summary

Published
12 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike, Airstrike and/or Artillery, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons, Unknown, Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

11 March 2019

Incident Code

USSOM205-C

Location

دار السلام, Darusalaam, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US conducted a confirmed airstrike on March 11th 2019 in the vicinity of Dara Salaam near Awdegle, Lower Shabelle Region, in "self-defense". AFRICOM stated at the time that the airstrike - which it said killed eight al Shabaab militants - "was conducted in support of Somali-led ground forces that came under attack from militants"…

Summary

Published
11 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Civilians reported killed
1–7
Civilians reported injured
1
Military actors reported killed
8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 March 2019

Incident Code

CI877a

Location

near Qayyarah-West Airfield, Iraq, Nineveh, Iraq
In an event previously not tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the injury of one civilian in an event near Qayyarah-West Airfield, Iraq. The Pentagon later confirmed this as a US action. In its May 2019 civilian casualty report, the Coalition noted: "Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally injured by Coalition small arms fire." The…

Summary

Published
10 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

2 March 2019

Incident Code

CS1901a

Location

مخيم الباغوز, Al Baghouz Fawqani, Deir Ezzor, Syria
In its monthly civilian harm report issued January 3rd 2020, the US-led Coalition conceded a self-reported civilian harm event in al Baghouz Fawqani on this date which killed one civilian. The event was previously untracked by Airwars. As the CJTFOIR report noted, "March 2, 2019, in Baghouz Faqwani, Syria, via self-report. Coalition aircraft conducted an…

Summary

Published
2 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

28 February 2019

Incident Code

USSOM201

Location

Gal Hamurre, Hiiraan, Somalia
The Pentagon carried out a February 28th airstrike in Somalia that killed 26 terrorists in the vicinity of Hiran, according to a press release from US Africa Command issued the following day. The attack marked the third US action in four days in the same area. US Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Hadfield, US Africa Command…

Summary

Published
28 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
26
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 February 2019

Incident Code

USSOM200

Location

Shebeleey, near Belet Weyne, Hiiraan, Somalia
The US military carried out an airstrike in Somalia on February 25th that killed 20 terrorists, according to a press release from US Africa Command. US Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Hadfield, AFRICOM deputy director of intelligence, said in the released statement: "This precision airstrike successfully targeted an encampment from which al-Shabaab could stage, coordinate, and…

Summary

Published
25 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
20
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

24 February 2019

Incident Code

USSOM199

Location

23 miles east of Belet Weyne, Hiiraan, Somalia
A confirmed US action, striking approximately 23 miles east of Beledweyne in the Hiran Region, killed 35 militants while no civilians were harmed, an AFRICOM statement asserted the next day. The airstrike targeted armed al Shabaab militants "as they were transitioning between locations in a rural area", the US command said. Marine Corps Maj. Gen.…

Summary

Published
24 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
35
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

23 February 2019

Incident Code

USSOM195-C

Location

حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, Somalia
A father and young child were reported killed in a US airstrike on the al Shabaab-occupied town of Kunyo Barrow. AFRICOM later admitted the deaths of two civilians along with three injuries in the event in its first quarterly civilian harm report of April 2020. US Africa Command first reported on February 24th 2019 that…

Summary

Published
23 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
3
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

23 February 2019

Incident Code

USSOM196

Location

Awdeegle, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The Pentagon announced four airstrikes on February 23rd in a press release issued by US Africa Command. One of these airstrikes occurred in Awdeegle, 50 kilometres west of Mogadishu. The press release read: "These four airstrikes eliminated checkpoints and facilities used by al-Shabaab to collect illegal taxes to fund terrorist activities and to oppress the innocent…

Summary

Published
23 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

23 February 2019

Incident Code

USSOM197

Location

Dacaraha, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A US airstrike targeted alleged al Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Dacaraha village, 50 km west of Mogadishu, a local source reported. Publicly AFRICOM said it had conducted two strikes near Kunyo Barrow that day, with others at Janaale and Awdhegle. The other Kunyo barrow strike - which hit the town itself - reportedly…

Summary

Published
23 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
0–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

11 February 2019

Incident Code

ISSY-110219

Location

القنيطرة, Al Qunaitra, Quneitra, Syria
Alleged Israeli airstrikes were carried out on Quneitra hospital on February 11, 2019. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency, "at 19.50 p.m., Israeli drones launched 4 missiles on Quneitra hospital and one of the points affiliated to the security guard forces, affirming that the damages were limited to materials." A reporter also added that…

Summary

Published
11 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
Israeli Military
View Incident

Incident Date

10–11 February, 2019

Incident Code

USSOM193

Location

Janaale, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A joint night time operation at Janaale by Somali National Armed Forces and AFRICOM - including the reported landing of US forces - led to a number of al Shabaab casualties and possible damage to civilian homes. Although AFRICOM did not confirm the incident at the time, a later FOIA response did confirm the action.…

Summary

Published
10 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

8 February 2019

Incident Code

USSOM192

Location

Road between Araare and Kobon, Lower Juba, Somalia
US Africa Command reported that the previous day, it had carried an airstrike in the vicinity of Kobon, near the city of Kismayo. AFRICOM added that "at this time, it was assessed no civilians were injured or killed in either airstrike." AFRICOM did not specify the number of belligerents killed, although AP reported that eight…

Summary

Published
8 February 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
8–32
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Unknown
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident