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

28 October 2018

Incident Code

CS1819

Location

الشعفة, Al Sha'afa, Deir Ezzor, Syria
At least one and as many as 20 civilians including an unspecified number of women and children died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the town of Al Shaafa, which was under the control of ISIS, according to local media. Several local sources including Euphrates Post reported that “a number of civilian died” in the…

Summary

Published
28 October 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1–20
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27 October 2018

Incident Code

CS1816

Location

البوبدران, Al Boubadran, Deir Ezzor, Syria
In what local media referred to as a “massacre”, five civilians including a woman and two or three children were reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the house of Rajab al-Hassan in the area of Al Boubadran, a village near al Soussa said to be under ISIS control. The victims were named by multiple…

Summary

Published
27 October 2018
Civilians reported killed
5
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27–28 October, 2018

Incident Code

CS1816a

Location

هجين, Hajin, Deir Ezzor, Syria
Between 5 and 20 civilians were reportedly injured or killed in Hajin as a result of alleged Coalition air and /or artillery strikes between October 27th and 28th, according to local media. On October 28th, Syria Unified Observatory reported “the martyrdom of about 20 people of the city of # Hajin and village # Al-Shaafa…

Summary

Published
27 October 2018
Civilians reported killed
5–20
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

27 October 2018

Incident Code

CS1818

Location

الظهرة ,الشعفة, Dhahra, Al Shafa, Deir Ezzor, Syria
On October 30th a single source, Al-Sha’fa Facebook page, reported an alleged Coalition airstrike “on a house in the outskirts of Dhahra.” The source said: “We don’t know who the house belonged to, but the whole family was killed”. The source was unable to specify the precise date of the reported civilian harm, noting that…

Summary

Published
27 October 2018
Civilians reported killed
3–4
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

24 October 2018

Incident Code

CS1814b

Location

السوسة , Al Soussa, Deir Ezzor, Syria
According to the source Marsad al Hassaka, “more than 20 civilians were killed in an air strike by international coalition aircraft on a house in the town of al-Soussa in the eastern suburb of Deir al-Zour. There were dozens of air strikes targeting civilian houses and large-scale destruction in the town amid attempts by the SDF…

Summary

Published
24 October 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
20
Civilians reported injured
2–4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

24 October 2018

Incident Code

CS1815

Location

مسجد الزوية, Hajin: Al Zawiya mosque, Deir Ezzor, Syria
A Coalition airstrike hit the Al-Zawiya Mosque in Hajin - the fourth reported airstrike on a mosque carried out by the Coalition in the governorate of Deir Ezzor in less than a week. Local sources claimed that at least 7 and up to 16 civilians died in this attack. Free Deir Ezzor said that there…

Summary

Published
24 October 2018
Civilians reported killed
7–16
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident