Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USYEMTr017

Incident date

March 2, 2017

Location

الخبر, Al Khabr, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.438103, 46.170985 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One local language source, Aden al-Hadath, reported that according to local residents, a drone strike had targeted a school in Khabr al-Maraqisha, Abyan governorate, on March 2nd 2017. There were no known reports of civilian casualties.

On the same day, multiple US airstrikes and alleged troop landings were reported, as part of a combined arms operation against AQAP in the area or town of Mogan, also in al-Maraqisha area, Abyan. This operation is separately detailed in entries USYEMTr015 and USYEMTr016.

It is possible that this reported strike was part of the operation in Mogan; according to a correspondent of Al-Ain News Portal, local witnesses said that American forces “targeted an Al-Qaeda training camp in a school in Mogan Al-Hasinah area in Abyan Governorate”.

This strike allegedly took place amid the dramatic intensification of US operations against AQAP. On March 2nd, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davies announced “more than 20 strikes targeted AQAP militants, equipment and infrastructure in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah” early that morning.

On March 3rd, the Associated Press reported that Yemeni officials and residents said that the US had conducted “dozens of airstrikes on al-Qaida targets in Yemen overnight and in the past 48 hours in one of the lengthiest, sustained operations inside this conflict-torn Arab country”. A US military intelligence source told NBC News that the strikes were “part of ‘new directives’ to aggressively pursue the Dhahab and Qayfa clans”.  Estimates of the total death toll on March 2nd varied; on March 3rd, Reuters reported that Thursday’s strikes left “at least nine” dead, while officials speaking with the Associated Press said that seven alleged militants had been killed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Khabr (الخبر), for which the coordinates are: 13.438103, 46.170985. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

U.S. forces conducted a series of precision strikes in Yemen against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, in the early morning of March 2 (Yemen time). More than 20 strikes targeted AQAP militants, equipment and infrastructure in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah.

The strikes were conducted in partnership with the Government of Yemen, and were coordinated with President Hadi. The Government of Yemen is a valuable counter-terrorism partner, and we support its efforts to bring stability to the region by fighting known terrorist organizations like AQAP.

The strikes will degrade the AQAP's ability to coordinate external terror attacks and limit their ability to use territory seized from the legitimate government of Yemen as a safe space for terror plotting. Targets of the strikes included militants, equipment, infrastructure, heavy weapons systems and fighting positions.

AQAP has taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct, and inspire terror attacks against the United States and our allies. U.S. forces will continue to work with the Government of Yemen to defeat AQAP and deny it the ability to operate in Yemen.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM069

Incident date

February 24, 2017

Location

Hawina, north of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

-0.355651, 42.545703 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Somali news outlet Mareeg reported a suspected drone strike on an al Shabaab controlled village.

Mareeg reported an eyewitness as saying: “We heard several bomb explosion caused by drone airstrikes in Hawina village.” He added: “It is not clear how many people have been killed or wounded it is very difficult to know the real casualties.”

Hawina is reportedly located within several kilometres of Kismayo in southern Lower Juba province.

In an email to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) denied conducting a strike on this day in the area mentioned.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hawina, a few kilometers north of the city Kismayo. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location of the village of Hawina. However, the generic coordinates for the city of Kismayo are: -0.355651, 42.545703.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces

In an email to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) denied conducting a strike on this day in the area mentioned.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS264

Incident date

July 15, 2016

Location

منبج, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.5269242, 37.9559288 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a single source, four civilians from one family were killed and 13 additional civilians injured following a Coalition airstrike.

The Syria News Desk reported that “Coalition aircraft launched more than a dozen raids on Manbej, affected some national hospital west of the city perimeter, four of which targeted residential sites in the middle and on the northern edges. The source added that the raids led to the deaths of four civilians from one family, after their home was targeted and completely destroyed and 13 others were wounded, while launching air strike on a bridge near the “Garage” Jarablos north Manbij position, which resulted in its destruction.”

See also the following incident.

The Syrian Network reported Coalition strikes on the city that day but made no mention of civilian casualties: “Fixed-wing international coalition forces warplanes fired a missile that targeted Tareaq Jarablos bridge that connects the city of Jarablos and the northern neighborhoods of Manbej city with the center of Manbej city. The bridge was partially destroyed and was rendered out of commission. Manbej city was under the control of ISIS on the day of the incident and it is now held by the Kurdish-majority Syrian Democratic Forces.”

On March 10, 2022 in the CJTF-OIR Civilian Casualty Report, the Coalition reported this incident to be “non-credible”, stating that “After review of all available evidence it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    13
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Coordinates released by the Coalition place the event at 36.52692, 37.95592  

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Open incident
  • Stated location
    near Manbij, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDA0652842901
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 10, 2022

  • July 15, 2016, near Manbij, Syria, via Airwars report. After review of all available evidence it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike. 3011/CS264 37SDA0652842901

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    13
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM057

Incident date

June 11, 2016

Location

Galgala, Bari, Somalia

Geolocation

10.99167, 49.05736 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Unidentified jets struck what were described as “al Shabaab hideouts” in Galgala in the northern autonomous region of Puntland, according to a local report.

Garowe Online said the strikes – carried out by warplanes “launched from a carrier at sea” – hit militants in their bases along the Golis Mountain Ranges in Puntland, northern Somalia. It also reported that civilian infrastructure, including “nomadic build up vicinities and water wells”, was struck “by mistake.”

There were however no known reports of civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Galgala, for which the generic coordinates are: 10.99167, 49.05736. Due to limited information and satellite imagery availble to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM042

Incident date

November 29, 2015

Location

Yasooman, Ceeldheer, Ceel Lahelay, Hiiraan, Somalia

Geolocation

4.264363, 45.353956 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Unidentified jets reportedly bombed three villages – Yasooman, Ceeldheer and Ceel Lahelay in the central Hiiraan region – all described as being under al Shabaab control. There were no reported casualties.

According to All Africa: “An official says unidentified military jets bombed Al shabaab bases in the Somali region of Hiiraan on Sunday, the latest in series of aerial bombardment against the Al Qaeda-linked militants. Confirming the incident, Col Mohamed Omar Aden who is a senior Somali army commander in the region said the jets hit Yasooman, Ceeldheer and Ceel lahelay villages, which are all under Al shabaab control. No casualties reported in the multiple airstrikes against Al Shabaab strongholds in Hiiraan region. African Union troops in the region did not comment on the air attacks.”

It was not clear who carried out the strike – with US officials denying responsibility to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

The area where the attack hit borders Ethiopia, and was nominally under the control of the Burundian component of Amisom at the time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Amisom Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the villages of Yasooman (4.055577, 45.749016), Ceeldheer (4.4197762, 44.8728480) and Ceel Lahelay (4.4601000, 45.4361500) in the Hiiraan region. The coordinates for the middle point between these villages are: 4.264363, 45.353956. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Amisom Military Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Amisom Military Forces
  • Amisom Military Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Amisom Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS127

Incident date

September 19, 2015

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two women, sharing the same surname, al-Naji, were reported by a single source as having been killed in a Coalition strike at Raqaa. They are listed as originally from Talbissa is Homs.

No other details about this even are presently known.

In its monthly civilian harm assessment report for November 2019 – published on January 2nd 2020 – the Coalition classed this event as ‘non credible’, noting: ”September 19, 2015, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. The allegation provided insufficient detail to identify a specific date, time, or location to search for corroborating Coalition action. 2832/CS127 37SEV008785″.

The Coalition provided geolocates, indicating to within 100 metres the area on which it had focused its assessment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ameera Mahmoud Al Naji
Adult female Originally from Talbissa, Homs killed
Khouloud Ziyad Al Naji
Adult female Originally from Talbissa, Homs killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 women)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    In Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV008785
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 2, 2020

  • September 19, 2015, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. The allegation provided insufficient detail to identify a specific date, time, or location to search for corroborating Coalition action. 2832/CS127 37SEV008785

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition publicly reported one strike at Raqaa for September 18th-20th 2015.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 women)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS096

Incident date

July 9, 2015

Location

تدمر‎, Palmyra, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.569294, 38.291216 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A badly wounded Syrian refugee told Buzzfeed that he believed his injuries had been caused by a Coalition airstrike at Palmyra, although no strikes at that location had been reported at the time (the first publicly reported Coalition strikes on Palmyra were on September 9th 2015.)

Mohamed Raja, aged 23, lost his right arm and was paralyzed from the waist down after being caught in an airstrike on a passing oil tanker. “He and his family believe it was a coalition attack because of its precision. But the coalition has never announced any strikes in the city, while the regime bombed it heavily that day, making it unlikely that the coalition was to blame,” noted Buzzfeed.

In its monthly civilian casualty report for October 2019 – published on December 5th of that year – the Coalition assessed the event as ‘non credible’, noting that “July 9, 2015, in Palmyra, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2796/CS096 37SDU350426”.

Coalition officials also provided Airwars with a geolocation to within 100 metres of the area reviewed.

Based on available information, we assess this as a likely regime strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohamed Raja
23 years old male Mohamed lost his right arm and was paralyzed from the waist down injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    in Palmyra, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDU350426
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 5, 2019

  • July 9, 2015, in Palmyra, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2796/CS096 37SDU350426

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

No publicly-reported Coalition strikes between July 8th-10th 2015 matched this report.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM037

Incident date

March 10, 2015

Location

Tortoroow (and Ambereso), Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

2.25045, 44.69117 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single news source reported that “unidentified armed drones” targeted two alleged al Shabaab camps.

Witnesses said the attacks hit camps in the towns of Torato and Ambereso.

The regional governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur confirmed the strikes but said the death toll had not been confirmed, although the terror group had sustained “human and material losses.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Two alleged Al-Shabaab camps in the towns of Torato and Amereso in Somalia were struck by US drone strikes on March 10, 2015 (via World Bulletin)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Torato/Tortoroow, for which the generic coordinates are: 2.25045, 44.69117. It also mentions the village of Ambereso, for which the location is unknown. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (3) [ collapse]