U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

In 2014 a U.S.-led coalition began a campaign of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria – officially known as Operation Inherent Resolve – following the capture of large swathes of the countries by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS). An intense air and ground campaign drove ISIS out of almost all territory by 2018 but resulted in significant destruction and loss of life.

Airwars documented thousands of allegations of civilian harm from U.S.-led Coalition strikes and has conducted numerous major investigations and research papers on the topic.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

8,220 – 13,294

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely U.S.-led Coalition actions in Iraq and Syria for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the U.S.-led Coalition. These originate from 2,984 separate alleged incidents.

1,725 – 2,367
children likely killed
1,123 – 1,464
women likely killed
5,904
likely injured
3,757
named victims

U.S.-led Coalition estimate of civilian deaths

1,454

Confirmed civilian deaths, from U.S.-led Coalition actions in Iraq and Syria, originating from 360 separate incidents of civilian harm.

402
civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
19,182 – 29,761
Locally reported civilian deaths from U.S.-led Coalition actions in Iraq and Syria.
2,984 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
8,220 – 13,294
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by U.S.-led Coalition
1,538 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
2,391 – 2,815
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
434 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
7,870 – 12,564
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
778 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
696 – 1,083
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
233 seperate alleged incidents

Civilian Casualty Incidents — U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Start Date

End Date

Strike Type

Causes of Death / Injury

Strike Status

Civilian Harm Status

Belligerent Assessment

Casualty

Infrastructure

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2981 incidents
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Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

14 August 2017

Incident Code

CS1372a

Location

al-Badu , Raqqa, Syria
According to several local sources and field research by Amnesty International, a mother and her three children were killed in al-Badu, Raqqa, as an alleged Coalition airstrike hit their building. Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality found that  "a double air strike killed nine civilians from two families…

Summary

Published
14 August 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

14 August 2017

Incident Code

CS1372b

Location

al-Badu, Raqqa, Syria
In this single-source event, a family of five, including two children and one woman, were killed as alleged Coalition airstrike hit a house in which the family had sought shelter in, in al-Badu, Raqqa, Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality, reported. Amnesty's field researcher reported that the family was…

Summary

Published
14 August 2017
Civilians reported killed
5
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

13 August 2017

Incident Code

CS1369

Location

Badu neighbourhood, Raqqa, Syria
Numerous local sources reported the death of civilian Mahmud Abdul Latif Al-Humaidi. A Hasaka Rasd report said that “the death of Haj Mahmud Abdul Latif Al-Humadi was caused by “artillery shelling originating from Kurdish units”. The same description of events was supplied by Sharqiya Voice. Other sources such as Ahmad Shbli blamed the US-led Coalition…

Summary

Published
13 August 2017
Civilians reported killed
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

13 August 2017

Incident Code

CS1370

Location

الرقة‎, near Raqqah, Syria, Raqqa, Syria
In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the deaths of two civilians in an event near Raqqa. Their October 2017 civilian casualty report noted: "During a Coalition strike that engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building, it was assessed that two civilians were unintentionally killed.” Airwars had…

Summary

Published
13 August 2017
Civilians reported killed
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

13 August 2017

Incident Code

CS1371

Location

near Raqqah, Syria, Raqqa, Syria
In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, the Coalition later confirmed the deaths of three civilians and the injury of another. Their October 2017 civilian casualty report noted: "During a Coalition strike that engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a logistics node, it was assessed that three civilians were unintentionally killed and one…

Summary

Published
13 August 2017
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

13–18 August, 2017

Incident Code

CS1429b

Location

Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
Some of the names in this incident were initially reported by several sources under incident number CS1429a (Amjad Ahmed Taha Al-Suwairi, Mohammed Ayman Sweiri and Ahmad Taha Al-Omar Al Suweiri). During investigations of this event for the April 2019 joint Airwars and Amnesty report War in Raqqa: Rethoric versus Reality (www.raqqa.amnesty.org), Amnesty field researchers were…

Summary

Published
13 August 2017
Civilians reported killed
18
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident