Civilian Casualty Archive

Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date
801 incidents

Incident Date

12 May 2016

Incident Code

USSOM053

Location

Sabiid, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A US air strike reportedly killed five people – all of them said to be al Shabaab fighters. The attack was defensive and conducted to protect African troops on the ground, an Africom spokesperson told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. The Ugandan soldiers, part of the African Union peacekeeping force Amisom, were attacking a makeshift…

Summary

Published
12 May 2016
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

9–10 May, 2016

Incident Code

USSOM052

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Kenyan and Somali forces, and their US advisors, carried out a raid on an al Shabaab checkpoint in Toratorow. The US carried out an airstrike during the operation - though initially denied doing so. Media reports said helicopters were involved, indicating that both US air and ground forces were participating. However a US spokesperson denied…

Summary

Published
9 May 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

29 April 2016

Incident Code

CI234

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
The attempted US targeted killing of the Australian Neil Prakash, ‘an ISIL external operations facilitator’ instead “struck three civilians on the road and one civilian located on an adjacent compound,” CENTCOM admitted three months later. Among the four civilians who were killed in the airstrike that day, one man was named by local sources, Ziad…

Summary

Published
29 April 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

11 April 2016

Incident Code

USSOM051-C

Location

1.2 km east of Yontoy, Lower Juba, Somalia
Three civilians were reportedly killed in a US drone strike in Lower Juba. The attack began late on April 11 and continued into the small hour of April 12, Lt Col Michelle Baldanza of AFRICOM later said in a statement. The camp “posed an imminent threat to US personnel,” she said. Somali officials allege the…

Summary

Published
11 April 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
3
Military actors reported killed
5–15
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

9 April 2016

Incident Code

CI222

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
The Coalition conducted several night raids on telephone exchanges and reportedly the Babylon Bank in Mosul, which resulted in the deaths of at least six and as many as 67 civilians. In November 2016 the US initially admitted to killing one civilian in the attack, noting that “during a strike against an ISIL tactical unit,…

Summary

Published
9 April 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
6–67
Civilians reported injured
9–38
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

6 April 2016

Incident Code

USSOM050

Location

جيليب, Al Shabaab police station and vicinity in Jillib, Middle Juba, Somalia
The US carried airstrikes in self-defence in Jillib, Middle Juba, as reported by local media. According to one local tweet, the attack took place at night in Jilib. Mogadishu News claimed that eight militants were killed when an al Shabaab police station was struck - noting "civilian houses razed by the strikes." https://twitter.com/Aboukar_Sky/status/718077602817245184?s=20 An AFRICOM…

Summary

Published
6 April 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 April 2016

Incident Code

USSOM049

Location

Lower Juba, Somalia
This was the second of two strikes confirmed by the Pentagon on April 4th 2016. The attack was a “self-defence air strikes against al Shabaab fighters who posed imminent threats to US and partner nation forces in Somalia,” Department of Defense spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Michelle Baldanza told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Earlier on April 4th,…

Summary

Published
2 April 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

1 April 2016

Incident Code

USSOM048-C

Location

Buufow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
At least four and up to 23 al Shabaab fighters were reported killed in a US airstrike at Buufow, near Janaaale. However more than three years later, one civilian fatality was also alleged. Two US actions on April 1st and April 2nd were later said to be “self-defence air strikes against al Shabaab fighters who…

Summary

Published
1 April 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Civilians reported killed
0–1
Military actors reported killed
4–23
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

31 March 2016

Incident Code

USSOM047

Location

Between Jilib and Kamsuuma, Middle Juba, Somalia
A US drone strike targeted a vehicle carrying three al Shabaab figures in southern Somalia. The attack hit in the early evening and killed a senior al Shabaab leader, Hassan Ali Dhoore, according to the Pentagon. There were additional reports that two other militants were killed alongside Hassan Ali Dhoore. There are currently no reports…

Summary

Published
31 March 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
1–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

8 March 2016

Incident Code

USSOM046

Location

Awdheegle, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
At least 19 alleged militants were killed in a joint operation between US and Somali forces in the village of Awdhegle. US attack helicopters supported US and Somali Special Forces who attacked an al Shabaab target in southern Somalia, the Pentagon and Somali officials said. The assault took place overnight. The soldiers flew on US…

Summary

Published
8 March 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
19
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 March 2016

Incident Code

CI197

Location

شركة البناء الجاهز, Mosul, Industrial area in Arabi, Nineveh, Iraq
At least 21 civilians including 13 children reportedly died after an alleged night time Coalition strike on an abandoned factory in Mosul, which was being used by Daesh. The Coalition later said it had targeted an ‘ISIL weapons production facility’ in the city. This may also have been linked to the terror group’s chemical weapons…

Summary

Published
5 March 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
21–24
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

5 March 2016

Incident Code

USSOM045

Location

Raso camp, Hiiraan, Somalia
US drones and jets reportedly killed between 150 and 200 alleged members of al Shabaab in a strike on a training camp in Somalia, 120 miles north of Mogadishu. There are currently no associated reports of civilian harm. The total killed could in fact be higher. The district governor for Buloburte told the BBC’s Somali…

Summary

Published
5 March 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
150–200
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 December 2015

Incident Code

USSOM043

Location

Kunyo-Barow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
At least three alleged members of al Shahaab were killed in an airstrike against Kunyo-Barow village. The US action killed Abdirahman Sandhere, a senior al Shabaab fighter, the US Defence of Department (DoD) declared, along with two other suspected members of the group. There are currently no reports of civilian harm from this strike. The…

Summary

Published
2 December 2015
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

22 November 2015

Incident Code

USSOM041

Location

Balad Amiin, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A US strike targeted an al Shabaab base in Balad Amin in southern Somalia, killing between five and 10 of the group’s fighters. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reported at the time that the US confirmed it carried out an airstrike “at approximately 4pm Eastern Time” – 1am November 22 local time – in defence…

Summary

Published
22 November 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
5–10
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

7 November 2015

Incident Code

CI135a

Location

Qayarrah, Nineveh, Iraq
According to a field investigation conducted by reporters Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal for the New York Times Magazine, one civilian was killed and one injured by a Coalition airstrike on Qayyarah - both of them young children. The Coalition admitted the casualties in early 2020. Khan and Ghopal report the following: “Tibea Alla, a…

Summary

Published
7 November 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

30 October 2015

Incident Code

CI131a

Location

Qayyarah City Hall, Qayyarah City Hall area, Nineveh, Iraq
More than four years after the event, the Coalition finally conceded the death of a civilian during an October 2015 airstrike on Qayarrah. According to a field investigation conducted by reporters Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal for the New York Times Magazine, one civilian was killed by a Coalition airstrike on Qayyarah in this incident.…

Summary

Published
30 October 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27 September 2015

Incident Code

CI114

Location

داقوق, Duquq, Kirkuk, Iraq
A strike by what at the time was an unknown aircraft killed eight civilians in Yurgon (or Alarkon) village near Duquq, according to local reports. The US led Coalition admitted responsibility for seven deaths in March 2020. Waradana at the time cited one anonymous source: “The bombing led to the destruction of a number houses……

Summary

Published
27 September 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
7–8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27 September 2015

Incident Code

CS130

Location

السلخة, Jala'a (Al-Salakha), Deir Ezzor, Syria
France’s first air strike in Syria was alleged to have killed at least 30 child soldiers of Islamic State, according to reports. The attack – which France later declared was a five-hour raid by multiple aircraft on a ‘Daesh training camp’ – targeted among other sites a palm grove at Al Shalkha, near the town…

Summary

Published
27 September 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
12–50
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

20 September 2015

Incident Code

CI109

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
A US airstrike on an ‘ISIS headquarters’ in Mosul in fact killed four members of one family – named as university professor Mohannad Al Rezzo (pictured below); his 18-year old son Najib Mohannad Al Rezzo (pictured below); his brother Bassim’s wife Miyada Rezzo and their 21-year old daughter Tuka Rezzo. The Coalition admitted the deaths…

Summary

Published
20 September 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

24 August 2015

Incident Code

CI095

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Nineveh, Iraq
A young man named as Muhannad Tariq was reported killed in a Coalition strike near the al Jandool restaurant in Mohandeseen neighbourhood. The Coalition later reported that one civilian was killed and three others were wounded in this incident. According to a comment posted on a tribute page, Muhannad died from shrapnel wounds to his…

Summary

Published
24 August 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
10
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

15 July 2015

Incident Code

USSOM039

Location

Baardheere, Gedo, Somalia
A US drone strike allegedly killed “a senior commander and other members” of al Shabaab. Two or three people were reportedly killed by the drones – with an artillery barrage from Kenyan troops followed up the air attack according to the Los Angeles Times, and reportedly killing 50 'militants'. This was the first of six…

Summary

Published
15 July 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike, Artillery
Military actors reported killed
2–30
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

15 July 2015–18 July 2019

Incident Code

USSOM040

Location

مدينة ﺑﺮﺍﻭة, Baraawe, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
At least five US drone strikes hit in the space of three days killing an undisclosed number of people. They were reportedly carried out in support of African Union troops who were advancing on Baraawe, an al Shabaab stronghold since 2009. The strikes reportedly hit between the attack reported on July 15th and July 18th,…

Summary

Published
15 July 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
2–10
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

8 July 2015

Incident Code

CS094

Location

كفردريان, Kafr Daryan, Idlib, Syria
A US night time airstrike on a vehicle carrying alleged al-Nusra Front personnel also killed two passing civilian motorcyclists. They were later identified by the Syrian Network for Human Rights as two cousins aged 25 and 30. Both worked in the local shoe industry. In January 2016 CENTCOM confirmed that its airstrike had targeted “a…

Summary

Published
8 July 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

4 July 2015

Incident Code

CS087

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
The day of July 4th saw multiple allegations of civilian casualties reported in Raqqa. In one of them, an internally displaced family of seven living under a bridge was said to have been crushed to death following a Coalition airstrike. Buzzfeed cited a surviving close relative in Turkey, who declined to be named publicly but…

Summary

Published
4 July 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
7
Civilians reported injured
24
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

3 June 2015

Incident Code

CI070

Location

الحويجة, Hawijah, industrial district, Kirkuk, Iraq
A Coalition airstrike on an Islamic State depot levelled a significant number of buildings, killing an estimated 85 civilians and a large number of militants. A large supply of TNT explosive detonated after the IED-making facility was struck. Bas News described the attack as one of the worst mass casualty incidents in Iraq since the…

Summary

Published
3 June 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
70–85
Civilians reported injured
80–100
Military actors reported killed
80–100
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

20 April 2015

Incident Code

CI060

Location

الموصل‎, Mosul, Aden, Nineveh, Iraq
A reported Coalition airstrike on an electricity generating facility reportedly killed up tp 35 civilians and injured 22 more when nearby apartments were caught in the blast, according to reports. The US led Coalition later conceded 18 deaths in this event. At the time of the incident, NINA cited a medical source at the hospital…

Summary

Published
20 April 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
18–35
Civilians reported injured
22–50
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

4 April 2015

Incident Code

CI056

Location

فايده, Fadhiliya, Nineveh, Iraq
Five Kurdish non-combatants, all from the same family, died in a reported Coalition strike on the village of Fadhiliyah, near Mosul. A major field investigation by the Guardian later identified the dead. Three family members survived the attack though were injured. Rahim, an eyewitness and relative, told the Guardian: “We wrapped the dead in blankets…

Summary

Published
4 April 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
5
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

12 March 2015

Incident Code

USSOM038

Location

Abaq Xaluul, Bay, Somalia
A US Special Forces drone strike allegedly killed Adan Garaar, a senior member of al Shabaab, according to the Pentagon and Somali and Kenyan officials. The attack reportedly destroyed one or two vehicles in southwestern Somalia, killing two other alleged members of the group. There are currently no reports of civilian harm from this strike.…

Summary

Published
12 March 2015
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

2 February 2015

Incident Code

USSOM036

Location

Diinsoor, Bay, Somalia
According to a Freedom of Information response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in  May 2019, this previously unknown US strike took place in Dinsoor, Somalia against an "al-Shabaab Named Objective". It should be noted however that the last known declared US strike in Dinsoor prior to February 2nd 2015 was on January 31st 2015. There…

Summary

Published
2 February 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

31 January 2015

Incident Code

USSOM035-C

Location

Diinsoor, Bay, Somalia
At least four civilian casualties were reported injured or killed in a confirmed US attack on Dinsooor, though it was not clear if they were injured or killed. JSOC had targeted and killed Yusef Dheeqm, al Shabaab’s head of external operations in the drone strike. Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed in two separate Pentagon press conferences…

Summary

Published
31 January 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
0–4
Civilians reported injured
4
Military actors reported killed
2–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident