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

Search

2981 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

24–25 July, 2017

Incident Code

CS1273a

Location

Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report "War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality", one civilian was reportedly killed in alleged Coalition artillery strike 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. The report stated that "Islam…

Summary

Published
25 July 2017
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

23 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1254

Location

الجميلي, Jumaili, Raqqa, Syria
Local sources reported that one civilian died and others were wounded in ‘artillery shelling’ by the SDF in Jumaili. However, as Airwars understands that only the Coalition use artillery in Raqqa, this event can be assessed as likely carried out by that party.  

Summary

Published
23 July 2017
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

23 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1255

Location

دير الزور, Hamidiya, Deir Ezzor, Syria
Local media reported multiple airstrikes across Deir Ezzor province, with Euphrates Post saying that an unspecified number of civilian casualties occurred. According to @ALSharqia24, “air raids targeted the Hamidiya, Knamat, Panorama, Baghiliya and the vicinity of the military airport.” Only one source, @TAHRIR_ALSHMA, said that the Coalition carried out the strikes. The others didn’t identify…

Summary

Published
23 July 2017
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

23 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1256

Location

نزلة شحادة, Ar Raqqah: Nazlah Shahadah/Furat neighbourhood, Raqqa, Syria
Three civilians, displaced from Palmyra, died in an airstrike on Nazlet Shahata according to local media. Only one source, @PalmyraRev1, explicitly blamed the Coalition. Other sources referred only to “bombing” and did not identify the culprit. In the first of their September 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible…

Summary

Published
23 July 2017
Civilians reported killed
3
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

23 July 2017

Incident Codes

CS1257 RS2361

Location

الشميطية, Shumeteya, Deir Ezzor, Syria
Three civilians from one family died (a father, his son and his daughter) and up to 20 more people were wounded in airstrikes in Shumeteya, according to local sources. No reports pointed directly at the Coalition – though several referred to unidentified “warplanes”. Other sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of…

Summary

Published
23 July 2017
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
20
Military Actor
Russian Military, U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

23 July 2017

Incident Code

CS1258

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
Multiple local sources reported that one young male civilian had died from injuries sustained in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqa. On July 31st, Palmyra Media Centre reported that “the body of Ahmed Mohammed Salim al-Sabta was found a week after he was killed by an air strike.” This would put the date of his…

Summary

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