{"id":41721,"date":"2015-05-22T13:49:08","date_gmt":"2015-05-22T13:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/news_and_analysis\/a-week-in-airstrikes-may-15th-may-22nd-2015\/"},"modified":"2023-10-03T09:01:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T09:01:17","slug":"a-week-in-airstrikes-may-15th-may-22nd-2015","status":"publish","type":"research","link":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/research\/a-week-in-airstrikes-may-15th-may-22nd-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Coalition airstrikes and casualties in Iraq and Syria: May 15th-May 22nd 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Major developments<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li>After nine months of strikes the coalition finally admits its\u00a0actions have killed civilians &#8211; confirming the &#8220;likely&#8221; death of at least two children in Syria<\/li>\n<li>A last-minute spate of Coalition airstrikes fails to prevent Islamic State from over-running the crucial city of Ramadi in Iraq<\/li>\n<li>The 4,000th airstrike since operations began in August 2014\u00a0is confirmed<\/li>\n<li>Arab partners once again carry out no anti-Daesh air strikes in Syria &#8211; though Canada carries out its second airstrike in the country, targeting alleged militants at Ar Raqqah<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Civilian casualties<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1030\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/11263942_973515936032314_6555182396635137578_n-May-20th.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1030\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1030\" src=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/11263942_973515936032314_6555182396635137578_n-May-20th-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Scene of a May 20 alleged airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at , Syria (SNN)\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/11263942_973515936032314_6555182396635137578_n-May-20th-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/11263942_973515936032314_6555182396635137578_n-May-20th.jpg 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Scene of a May 20 airstrike which reportedly killed 7 civilians at al Tawama, Syria (SNN)<\/p><\/div>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li>Airwars recorded one new incident of concern this week &#8211; a coalition action\u00a0on May 20th at al Tawama in Syria, which allegedly killed between 7 and 11 non-combatants. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aljazeera.net\/news\/arabic\/2015\/5\/20\/%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media reports<\/a>, an airstrike on the\u00a0al Nusra Front, a local\u00a0 affiliate of al Qaeda killed a number of insurgents. However civilians also reportedly died at two locations in the town.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The coalition confirmed to Airwars on May 22nd that it had carried out the strike at al Tawama. However, it declined to confirm whether the al Nusra Front or Khorasan Network was targeted; or whether an investigation into the alleged civilian deaths is now underway.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li>The Syrian\u00a0Network for Human Rights issued its <a href=\"http:\/\/sn4hr.org\/wp-content\/pdf\/english\/Massacre_of_Ber_Mahli_Village_en.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">latest report<\/a> into the &#8216;massacre&#8217; of 64 civilians at the village of Ber Mahli\u00a0on April 30th. After interviewing a number of survivors, the\u00a0group\u00a0claimed that &#8220;<em>the international coalition targeted six houses directly with no less than six missiles, as some of these homes were targeted again after people and medical teams gathered to help the victims and wounded.<\/em>&#8221; A number of eyewitness testimonies were also released by SNHR.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rDQrWD_XHlw\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n\u201c<em>Every time we\u2019d try to get out the plane would start bombing.<br \/>\nWe lost so many people, women and children.<\/em> \u201c<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Eyewitness (SNHR)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>CENTCOM declassified a top secret investigation into a US airstrike in Syria on November 6th 2014, confirming for the first time that coalition airstrikes had &#8220;likely&#8221; killed two civilians, both children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Airwars <a href=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/news\/6-months-after-deadly-syrian-air-raid-centcom-finally-concedes-us-strike-killed-children\/\">welcomed the publication<\/a> of the report, but also raised concerned at the unnecessary delays involved.\u00a0Details of the childrens\u2019 deaths had been\u00a0published within hours of the US attack.\u00a0And redacted emails released by CENTCOM indicate that military officials were aware of possible civilian deaths almost immediately after the event.<\/p>\n<p>Yet it was not until January 8 2015 \u2013 two months after the killings \u2013 that an inquiry was ordered. Overseen by coalition commander\u00a0Lt. General James L. Terry, <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.centcom.mil\/sites\/foia\/rr\/CENTCOM%20Regulation%20CCR%2025210\/CIVCAS\/Harim%20City,%20Syria%20-%205-6%20Nov%2014\/AR%2015-6%20Investigation%20-%20Harim%20Syria%20CIVCAS,%205-6%20Nov%2014.pdf\">the declassified report<\/a> confirms\u00a0that a series of US air raids on the so-called Khorasan Group, a faction of Al Qaeda, had also\u00a0\u201c<em>triggered secondary explosions<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the interests of accountability and transparency, Airwars has urged the coalition to speed up ts investigation processes &#8211; and to be far more open about where and when coalition partners are bombing.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1076\" style=\"width: 723px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/CENTCOM-investigation.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1076\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1076\" src=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/CENTCOM-investigation.jpg\" alt=\"The terms of the investigation into civilian casualties at Hari, Syria (CENTCOM declassified report)\" width=\"713\" height=\"726\" srcset=\"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/CENTCOM-investigation.jpg 713w, https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/CENTCOM-investigation-295x300.jpg 295w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1076\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The terms of the investigation into civilian casualties at Hari, Syria (CENTCOM declassified report)<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Coalition actions<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The international coalition reported an intense week of bombings between May 15th and May 22nd.<\/p>\n<p>In Syria there were 49 new airstrikes &#8211; 48 of them carried out by the United States according to data released to Airwars.The majority of strikes (35 in total) were focused around al Hassakah. The areas around\u00a0Kobane, Ar Raqqah, Aleppo and Dayr az Zawr were also targeted.<\/p>\n<p>Canada <a href=\"http:\/\/www.forces.gc.ca\/en\/operations-abroad-current\/op-impact-airstrikes.page\">carried out<\/a> its first\u00a0airstrike in Syria since April 9th, targeting &#8220;<em>an ISIS staging area north of Ar-Raqqah<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Arab coalition partners once again carried out no airstrikes in Syria, instead focusing their efforts on their war against Yemen. <a href=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/\">According to data<\/a> collated by Airwars, Arab partners including Saudi Arabia and Jordan have only carried out two airstrikes in Syria since March 28th &#8211; compared with 289 strikes by the United States.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1056\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/mindef1-a-Dutch-def-min.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1056\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1056\" src=\"http:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/mindef1-a-Dutch-def-min-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"Defence minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visits Dutch F-16 crews in the Middle East, May 15 2015 (Dutch MoD)\" width=\"300\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/mindef1-a-Dutch-def-min-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/mindef1-a-Dutch-def-min.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1056\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Defence minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visits Dutch F-16 crews in the Middle East, May 15 2015 (Dutch MoD)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In Iraq, a late surge of coalition airstrikes failed to prevent Islamic State from capturing\u00a0the strategic city of Ramadi.<\/p>\n<p>Strikes later targeted\u00a0a\u00a0significant weapon stockpile abandoned by the Iraq Army, with the coalition claiming\u00a0it had destroyed &#8220;<em>five abandoned tanks, two abandoned armored personnel carriers and two abandoned armored vehicles<\/em>&#8221; in Ramadi.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere in Iraq, heavy airstrikes continued around the Bayji oil refinery, scene of another months-long power struggle between Daesh and Iraqi forces. Strikes were also reported in the vicinity of nine other major towns and cities across Iraq. In contrast with Syria, one in three coalition airstrikes in Iraq are presently being carried out by seven\u00a0US allies, including the UK, France and the Netherlands.<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow us <strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/airwars_\">on Twitter<\/a><\/span><\/strong>, including our new <strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/airwarsarabic\">Arabic service<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1082,"template":"","tags":[24,22,32,35,39,38,40,25,31,14,5,36,33,26,37,41],"country":[],"belligerent":[],"language":[],"output_type":[987],"class_list":["post-41721","research","type-research","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-airstrikes","tag-airwars","tag-al-nusra-front","tag-al-qaeda","tag-al-tawama","tag-bayji","tag-ber-mahli","tag-civilian-casualties","tag-civilians","tag-cjtf-oir","tag-coalition","tag-jan","tag-khorasan-group","tag-non-combatants","tag-ramadi","tag-snhr","output_type-analysis"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research\/41721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/research"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41721"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=41721"},{"taxonomy":"belligerent","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/belligerent?post=41721"},{"taxonomy":"language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/language?post=41721"},{"taxonomy":"output_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/output_type?post=41721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}