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

27 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1281

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
One girl died in a airstrike or artillery or mortar shelling of Raqqa, according to local sources. The majority of sources blamed US-led Coalition airstrikes for the girl’s death. Hasaka Rasd, however, said that mortar shells also fell on neighbourhoods in Raqqa, While Airwars understands that only the Coalition has access to artillery in Raqqa,…

Summary

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

Incident Date

27 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1282

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
Up to 48 civilians died and 40 were injured in alleged air and artillery strikes by the Coalition and the SDF in Raqqa, according to local media. However, sources did not specify the locations for these deaths and these are therefore general numbers. Additionally, one source Watan reported that there had been Russian actions in…

Summary

Published
27 July 2017
Civilians reported killed
48
Civilians reported injured
40
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition, Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

27 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1283

Location

شارع تل ابيض, Tal Abyad street, Raqqa, Syria
Sharqiya Voice reported a “massacre due to an aerial bombardment by the international coalition onTal Abyad Street, killing eight civilians and wounding dozens”. Alraqqa_ahlna and AlhasakaArabia blamed a Coalition airstrike for the deaths. However, Freedom_raqqa1 reported that “mortar shells” landed in Tal Abyad street, while P_center_sy1 blamed SDF mortar shells for the death and injury…

Summary

Published
27 July 2017
Civilians reported killed
8
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1284

Location

سوق الهال القديم, Old Hal market, Raqqa, Syria
Four civilians – a father and his three children – died in a “rocket attack” or artillery bombardment on Raqqa’s Old Hal Market, local media reported – though it was unclear whether the Coalition or the SDF were responsible. According to Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, “Fahd Abdulaziz Al-Majbil died in addition to three of…

Summary

Published
27 July 2017
Civilians reported killed
4
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1285a

Location

Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report "War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality", five civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition artillery strikes in Raqqa. Although Airwars assesses single sourced incidents as "weak", researchers have assessed this incident "fair" due to the depth of material provided by Amnesty. According to Amnesty field notes…

Summary

Published
27 July 2017
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
5
Civilians reported injured
3
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1285

Location

Euphrates river, Raqqa, Syria
Local media reported that two civilians were killed when an alleged Coalition airstrike struck the boat they were in on the Euphrates river as they attempted to flee to safety to Hawija al-Swafi.

Summary

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