Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

LC376

Incident date

May 1, 2020

Location

جوار جامع نتيفه, Vicinity of Natifa Mosque, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.857642, 13.235747 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and up to four more injured by LNA shelling on the Zanata neighbourhood of Tripoli.

Tk Yahroug Kl shy said: “Sincere condolences to Professor Zahra Bizan on the death of the late God Almighty, her nephew, Youssef Abdel Hamid Bizan, who passed away, and his neighbor, Aqila Borkhis, with a missile in front of their house in Zanata, near the Natif mosque in Tripoli this morning.”

The Field Medicine and Support Center, Ambulance Services Libya and the GNA-led Burkan Al Ghadab operation all named two dead victims and three wounded.

The Libya observed quoted the GNA saying that the LNA conducted the shelling and said that according to the Field Medicine and Support Center two were killed and four wounded, including three children.

The incident occured at 12:14:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult female Critical condition injured
Age unknown female injured
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • Ambulance arriving after alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via Ambulance Services Libya)
  • Ambulance arriving after alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via Ambulance Services Libya)
  • Ambulance arriving after alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via Ambulance Services Libya)
  • Victim of alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via FMSC)
  • Victim of alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via FMSC)
  • Victim of alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via FMSC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via FMSC)
  • Street scence after alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via FMSC)
  • Building damaged by alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via FMSC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via Burkan Al Ghadab)
  • Aqeela Muhammad Abu Khaziz, killed by alleged LNA shelling on Tripoli on May 1st, 2020 (via Wajdi Al Sadi)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a residential area being struck in the vicinity of Natifa Mosque ( جامع نتيفه) in the neighbourhood of Zanatah (زناتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.857642, 13.235747. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr223

Incident date

April 25, 2020

Location

بين الخدراء والنبيق, Al Khudra and Al Nabeeq, Shabwa, Yemen

Geolocation

14.87082, 45.75198 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or more US drone strikes reportedly killed at least six alleged AQAP militants between the towns of Al Khudra and Al Nabeeq, in the Beihan district of Shabwa governorate, on the afternoon of April 25th 2020. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Yemeni tribal and security sources told Associated Press, on April 27th, that two US drone strikes in Beihan had killed at least six AQAP militants “in recent days”. Marib Today reported that three US strikes had been conducted in the area on that afternoon, and were preceded by the presence of US aircraft throughout the morning. However many sources mentioned only one strike.

A single social media post by @no_itsmyturn indicated that a drone strike by an unnamed belligerent had targeted Houthi positions in Beihan on the 25th, though it was not clear if this was the same event.

According to Associated Press, both the CIA and the US military declined to comment on the reported US strikes. US Central Command told Airwars that no US military strikes were conducted in Yemen during April 2020. It is, however, possible that an undeclared strike was conducted by the CIA, or as part of a clandestine US military action.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Though Twitter user @no_itsmyturn gave this source as evidence for a claim that strikes had targeted Houthi positions in Beihan, the source did not specifically identify the target (@no_itsmyturn, April 25th 2020)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the area between Al Khudra (الخدراء) and Al Nabeeq (النبيق), allegedly in the Beihan (بيحان‎) district of Shabwa (شبوة) governorate. Our research finds evidence of a clinic called Al Wahdah as Sihhiyah al Khadra (الوحدة الصحية الخدراء) and a hill called Jabal Khudra (جبل الخدراء), suggesting that Al Khudra is within the area, however, we find no mention of Al Nabeeq in the vicinity. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Jabal Khudra are: 14.87082, 45.75198.

  • Reports of the incident mention the area between Al Khudra (الخدراء) and Al Nabeeq (النبيق), allegedly in the Beihan (بيحان‎) district of Shabwa (شبوة) governorate.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Our research finds evidence of a clinic called Al Wahdah as Sihhiyah al Khadra (الوحدة الصحية الخدراء) and a hill called Jabal Khudra (جبل الخدراء), suggesting that Al Khudra is within their area, however, we find no mention of Al Nabeeq in the vicinity.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

According to CENTCOM, there were no US military strikes during April 2020 in Yemen.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI034

Incident date

April 15, 2020

Location

مخيم مخمور للاجئين, Makhmur Refugee Camp, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

35.760000, 43.605000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three women were killed alleged Turkish drone strikes on Makhmour refugee camp, Erbil province, on April 15th 2020, according to local sources. Four civilians were injured.

Bewar Amin, head of Makhmour Camp’s media department, told Rudaw English that “three civilian women were killed by the Turkish airstrike today near Makhmour camp. Two women were killed immediately by the airstrikes, and another woman succumbed to her grave injuries and passed away later on.”

Yeniozgur Politika reported that Turkish Unmanned Aerial Vehicles targeted the camp, killing three women who were working in the gardens around 1:10 PM. The victims were named as Eyşö Ehmed Ferhan, Ezime Akdoğan and Hawa Akdoğan.

Whereas @abdullahawez wrote that it was unclear whether the women were civilians are not, all other sources reported the victims were civilians. Yeniozgur Politika added that the camp’s residents gathered in front of the hospital and held a ceremony to bury the victims, despite the ongoing dangers of Covid-19.

Kirkuk Now reported that, in addition, four civilians had been injured.

Kurdistan24 wrote that “Turkish warplanes conducted several airstrikes on Tuesday [April 14th] and Wednesday [April 15th] that targeted alleged positions of the opposition Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). According to local media reports, the new campaign resulted in several deaths, including both civilians and PKK fighters, and significant damage to the property of local residents and farmers.”

The incident occured at approximately 1:10 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Footage of Turkish airstrikes on Erbil province on April 15th, 2020 (via @HanaComani)
  • Photos of Makhmour camp, Erbil province, date unknown (via @y_ozgurpolitika).
  • Funeral ceremony of Eyşö Ehmed Ferhan, Ezime Akdoğan and Hawa Akdoğan, who died in alleged Turkish drone strikes on April 15th 2020 (via Yeniozgur Politika).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Makhmur Refugee Camp (مخيم مخمور للاجئين) for which the generic coordinates are: 35.760000, 43.605000. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI033

Incident date

February 26, 2020

Location

Sida village, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

37.085278, 43.931111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Sidah village, Zap in Nineveh, Iraq Kurdistan on February 26th, 2020 according to local sources.

ANF reported that “on February 26th, Turkish jets struck a civilian car in Sidah village of Zap region at 16:00, killing a civilian named Khelil Ibrahim Sidani who came from the Sheladize town.”

The Press Office of the People’s Defense Forces (HPG-BIM) released a statement saying that “Turkish attacks deliberately targeted civilians who were working in their fields in the Sidah village.”

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Sida village in Iraq on Feb 26th, 2020 (via ANF)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sidah (سيده) for which the generic coordinates are: 37.085278, 43.931111. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr216

Incident date

January 2–3, 2020

Location

الجراف/حدة, Al Jarf/Hadda, Sana'a, Yemen

Geolocation

15.399569, 44.209156 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US drone strike reportedly targeted Abdul Reza Shahlai, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Qods Force commander in Sana’a, overnight from January 2nd-3rd 2020.

While initial reports suggested that Shahlai had been killed in the strike, official sources later indicated that he had survived. There was some indication that another Iranian soldier was killed, however. The strike reportedly took place alongside a second confirmed US drone strike in Iraq, which assassinated Iranian commander Qasem Suleimani early on January 3rd. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm in the strike.

The specific circumstances of the strike were unclear. Though reports initially emerged late on January 3rd, with some suggesting that the attack took place around that time, later reporting by outlets including the Washington Post, ABC, and CNN instead indicated that it took place on the same night as the strike that killed General Suleimani. This chimes with an Erem News report that local sources in Sana’a had denied that there were any airstrikes overnight from January 3rd-4th.

Local language outlets also reported that the strike took place some time overnight from January 2nd-3rd. According to Tahdeeth, the attack took place in the Al Jarf area of Sana’a on January 2nd. Yemen Time further indicated, according to local sources, that the strike took place at 4am “on the day of the killing of Qassem Soleimani”, January 3rd, in the Hadda area of Sana’a city, near the Faj Atan area. According to analyst Joshua Koontz (@JoshuaKoontz__), Hadda lies around 4.5 miles from Al Jarf.

Though initial reports, from Twitter users including @muard_doden and @raed_alamassi, suggested that the strike targeted a car, Yemen Times reported that the target was a house. US officials likewise told ABC News that the strike targeted Shahlai in his “compound”. While most indicated that the attack took the form of a drone strike, a few sources, such as @wesleysmorgan, suggested that the action was a US Special Forces operation.

Four US officials told the Washington Post that Shahlai had survived the attack. “If we had killed him, we’d be bragging about it that same night”, a senior US official told the Washington Post. The Intercept later reported that Shahlai went into hiding after the strike, according to a US counter-terrorism official.

It was further reported by The Intercept that a “lower-level Quds Force operative” was killed in the strike. Sources variously indicated that the killed operative was Iranian Revolutionary Guard leader Mustafa Muhammad Mirzai. On January 6th 2020, Aden Gad reported that, according to Iranian media, Mirzai, was killed in vague “clashes” in Yemen. Iranian state media also reported that Mirzai had died on January 3rd in “one of the fields of the Resistance Front”, at the same time acknowledging a military fatality in Yemen for the first time, according to journalist Amir Toumaj.

Analyst Joshua Koontz also indicated that, according to the IRGC-linked Fars News Agency, Mirzai’s body was flown back to Iran for a funeral in Shahr-e-Ray, Tehran, on January 6th 2020. Quoting Fars, Joshua Koontz indicated that Mirzai was a “comms expert” who had also travelled to Iraq and Syria.

The alleged target of the strike, Abdul Reza Shahlai, supervised the Quds Force division aiding Houthi forces in the Yemeni civil war, The Intercept reported. In December 2019, the US State Department declared a $15 million reward for information on Shahlai. He has been linked to a January 2007 attack on the Karbala Joint Provincial Coordination Centre in Iraq, in which five US soldiers were kidnapped and later killed. In 2011, the US had listed him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, for allegedly planning to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US. The US Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, also said in 2019 that the US was “gravely concerned by his presence in Yemen and potential role in providing advanced weaponry of the kind we have interdicted to the Houthis”.

The Pentagon was coy about the attack. “We have seen the report of a January 2 airstrike in Yemen, which is long-understood as a safe space for terrorists and other adversaries to the United States. The Department of Defense does not discuss alleged operations in the region.” said Pentagon spokeswoman Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich in a statement to the press.

Subsequently, CENTCOM informed Airwars that it had conducted no strikes in Yemen during January 2020. Officials told the Washington Post, however, that “officials at the Pentagon and at military commands in Florida were monitoring both strikes”, suggesting that the US military had conducted the strike. The DoD also announced, at the time, that they had conducted the strike against Suleimani in Iraq. It is therefore likely that this action was an undeclared US military operation.

Several news outlets reported that the attempted killing of Shahlai undercut the rationale given by US officials for the parallel strike on Qasem Suleimani in Iraq. In the aftermath of the Suleimani strike, The Intercept reported, the US had submitted a letter to the United Nations Security Council, stating that the strike exercised its “inherent right to self-defence”. US officials and President Trump also justified the strike on the basis of an imminent threat posed by Suleimani.

The reported strike in Yemen, however, suggested “a mission with a longer planning horizon and a larger objective, and it really does call into question why there was an attempt to explain this publicly on the basis of an imminent threat”, Suzanne Maloney, an Iran scholar at the Brookings Institution, told the Washington Post. A US official indicated to The Intercept that a strike against Shahlai had been discussed in the Trump administration for three years, “as a means of deterring further Iranian support for the Houthis in Yemen”.

Further, this strike against a Houthi ally was reported to be a significant deviation from prior US policy in Yemen, which had previously emphasised “counter-terrorism” efforts against AQAP and, more recently, ISIS. The attempted killing of Shahlai in Yemen – coupled with the assassination of Suleimani in Iraq at the same time – may point to a preplanned decapitation attempt by the US against the senior leadership of Iran’s military.

Though CENTCOM did not confirm the strike, several major news outlets including ABC News and the Washington Post printed comments from US officials who confirmed details of the attack

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (56) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Iranian Qods Force commander Abdul Reza Shahlai was reportedly the target of the alleged strike, though reports indicated that he survived (@Levitt_Matt, January 6th 2020)
  • Iranian Qods Force "operative" Mohammed Mirzai was alleged to have been killed in the strike (@AmirToumaj, January 6th 2020)
  • Analyst Joshua Koontz mapped two alleged locations of the strike, Al-Jarf and Hadda (@JoshuaKoontz__, January 14th 2020)
  • The US administration officially denied the strike, as in this transcript of an interview of the Defence Secretary by a news host (@rgoodlaw, January 12th 2020)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention separate locations within the Sana’a City (امانة العاصمه) district. According to one source, @JoshuaKoontz__, these are the Al Jarf (الجراف) area, for which the generic coordinates are: 15.399569, 44.209156, and the Hadda (حدة) area, south of Sana’a, at these generic coordinates: 15.303724, 44.190960. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention separate locations located within the Sana’a City (امانة العاصمه) district. According to one source, @JoshuaKoontz__, these are the Al Jarf (الجراف) area, and the Hadda (حدة) area, south of Sana’a

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • @JoshuaKoontz__ alleges that two seperate areas have been identified as locations of the strike, these are the Al Jarf (الجراف) area, and the Hadda (حدة) area, south of Sana’a.

    Imagery:
    @JoshuaKoontz__

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

Though CENTCOM did not confirm the strike, several major news outlets including ABC News and the Washington Post printed comments from US officials who confirmed details of the attack: US officials told ABC News that the strike targeted Shahlai in his “compound”. While most indicated that the attack took the form of a drone strike, a few sources, such as @wesleysmorgan, suggested that the action was a US Special Forces operation. Four US officials told the Washington Post that Shahlai had survived the attack. “If we had killed him, we’d be bragging about it that same night”, a senior US official told the Washington Post.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (56) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr215

Incident date

December 7, 2019

Location

Arqoub, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.468889, 45.763889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A few local-language Twitter sources suggested, on December 7th 2019, that US drone strikes had targeted “Muslim Brotherhood” militias, also described as “terrorists”, in the mountains of Al Arqoub in Abyan governorate. No other known sources reported US strikes, and there was no known information on alleged casualties.

The first known report of the strikes, from Twitter account @moam8888849 at 1:34 AM on December 7th, only reported that drones were bombing “unknown targets” in the mountains of Arqoub. A second account, @8k3b82LEv96mpzC, appeared to assign responsibility to the US for the strikes, which @salem_Alshaiba [perhaps recirculating the above] described as an “intense bombardment” by American forces.

On January 2nd 2020, US Central Command told New America that no US military strikes had been conducted in Yemen since June 24th 2019. The alleged strikes came amidst continued clashes between southern separatist forces and pro-government forces in southern Yemen, including in Abyan governorate.

The incident was first reported on December 7, 2019 at 1:34 am by @moam8888849.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Other, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of the Arqoub (زنجبار‎) area, for which the generic coordinates are:13.468889, 45.763889. 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

On January 2, in response to an email inquiry, CENTCOM reiterated June 24th as the last CENTCOM strike in Yemen and said an investigation is ongoing into an alleged 11/1 strike reported by Xinhua

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Other, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4203

Incident date

November 26, 2019

Location

حاس,, Has, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was reportedly wounded in alleged Russian or Syrian regime raids on Has during nighttime on November 26th, 2019.

One civilian had been wounded according to Idlib Online. According to Step News, an unspecified number of civilians had been injured.

Most sources reported that helicopters and/or warplanes targeted the town with air strikes. Syria Live instead reported “civilian injuries due artillery shelling of pro-Assad forces on Maarzita town in the southern countryside”.

While most sources blamed Russia for the attack, some attributed the attack to the Syrian Armed Forces. @alhariri58 claimed as the only source that the Israeli Military conducted the strikes.

Idlib News claimed that the belligerents had been targeting Al-Nusra fighters.

Video footage documented an explosion during nighttime.

 

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime, Israeli Military, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Explosion during nighttime (via @_abdulazizketaz)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime, Israeli Military, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1938 ISSY007 RS4199

Incident date

November 25, 2019

Location

ترحين, Tarhin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.516944, 37.541389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Russian, Syrian regime, Israeli or US-led Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village, Aleppo governorate, on November 25th, 2019, according to local sources. An unknown number of civilians were wounded.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “local sources said that six explosions were heard in different areas, and the sources confirmed that the raids targeted the Al-Haraqat area near Tarhin village, Al Burj village and the southern part of Jarabulus city.” The SOHR added that there were reports of injured civilians in Tarhin.

Smart News Agency said that “three people were killed and another was missing as a result of the shelling by unknown warplanes of oil burners near the village of Tarhin in the Al Bab area, east of Aleppo city in northern Syria.”

There were conflicting claims against the Coalition, Israel, Russia and the Assad regime. According to Baladi News, “there was a discrepancy in information about the identity of the aircraft, whether they were Russian or belonging to the international coalition.” Sources reported that the Turkish army and/or Turkish-backed factions were the target.

A tweet from @putintintin1 referred to an “unknown warplane (believed to be UAV) targeted a truck near Tarhin”.

@osama_sy87 tweeted a video, writing that “Russian airstrikes targeted oil burners in Tarhin village of Al Bab countryside, north of Aleppo, which resulted in deaths and injuries of burners workers, as well as shelling of oil burners and tanks in Al Kousa village of Jarablus countryside, east Aleppo.”

A Syrian PC correspondent reported that “a number of oil burners in the village of Tarhin of the city of Bab east of Aleppo were killed and others were injured after Russian aircraft targeted three oil tanks in the village.”

Effect News posted a video of Syrian Civil Defence volunteers recovering the heavily charred bodies of the victims a day after the strikes. The SCD themselves wrote that “three people were found dead by Civil Defense teams as they inspected the area that was hit by aerial bombardments yesterday evening in Tarhin village east of Aleppo.”

Step News Agency reported that, according to a private source, “telephone conversations took place on Tuesday, the nineteenth of this month [November], between the Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Yisrael Katz, and the co-chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Council ‘Syria’, Ilham Ahmed.”

According to the informant, “the two sides agreed during the contacts on the principle of oil for protection, that is, Israel’s access to Syrian oil located in areas controlled by the militia ‘SDF’ northeast of the country, in return for securing protection for the militia, and pressure on Turkey regarding its military operation Peace Spring”, implying that Israel had been responsible for the strikes on Tarhin villages.

The source added that “the raid on the oil burning areas was aimed at sending a message to the opposition factions supported by Turkey, and behind Turkey, not to extend too much in the areas of Operation Peace Spring.”

Zaman Al Wasl reported that, according to a private military source, the Coalition had been responsible for the strikes. In their August 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports of civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Israeli Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (55) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (18) [ collapse]

  • Translation: “The effects of the bombing of the diesel burners two days ago in # Terhin, north of Aleppo. Of course, the Syrian regime falsely claimed that it bombed a column of Kurdish tanks that were smuggling Syrian oil to Erbil via Jarablus, to be smuggled later from Erbil to Turkey. You understand! ? The bombing was Turkish, and the target was political and economic” (via @CihadKoro).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)
  • SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)
  • SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)
  • SCD found three bodies of civilians killed in Tarhin (via Orient)
  • SCD found three bodies of civilians killed in Tarhin (via Orient)
  • Translation: “Video documents Russian air strikes targeting oil burners in Tarhin village of Al Bab countryside, north of Aleppo, which resulted in deaths and injuries of burners workers, as well as shelling of oil burners and tanks in Al Kousa village of Jarablus countryside, east Aleppo” (via @osama_sy87).
  • 1. “Translation: From the northern countryside of Aleppo. Warplanes are likely Russian. Shelling multiple areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo. Knew them burners in Tarhin north of the city of Bab 15 km and Kusa south of Jarablus” (via @naserhmedi).
  • Translation: “Warplanes bombard oil burners in Aleppo countryside” (via Enab Baladi).
  • Translation: “An unknown bombardment is likely that the Russian occupation affects oil burners northeast of Aleppo” (via OrientTV).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers putting out fire after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers extinguishing fire after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers putting out fire after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers attending to fires after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention multiple strikes on oil refineries in the area west of the village of Tarhin (ترحين). The coordinates for the village are: 36.516944, 37.541389

  • Reports of the incident mention the oil refineries in the area west of the village of Tarhin (ترحين) being struck.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SCA693422
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 22, 2020
  • Nov. 25, 2019, near Tarhin, 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. 3134/CS1938 37SCA693422

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Israeli Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (55) [ collapse]