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

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2981 incidents
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Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

9 October 2017

Incident Code

CS1612

Location

Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
A civilian male died in Raqqah following an “aerial bombardment” of the city, local media said. There is very limited information at present for this event, with both RBSS and Raqqa Maydan saying on October 11th that the incident had taken place “several days ago.” Airwars understands that only the US-led Coalition were bombing in…

Summary

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

Incident Date

9 October 2017

Incident Code

CS1613

Location

Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
Two men died as a result of US-led Coalition artillery strike on Raqqah city, local sources alleged. The Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report "War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality" reported that "Ala’Eddin Haj Ibrahim, and his neighbour Mohammed AbdelHadi al-Zein, both aged 51, were killed by an artillery strike outside Ala’eddine home." The…

Summary

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

Incident Date

9 October 2017

Incident Code

CS1614

Location

Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
On January 30th 2018, RBSS reported that "The bodies of Abdul Hakim al-A’bka and Abdulkhaliq al-A’bka were taken out of the rubble after they had been shelled about four months ago by the international coalition aircraft on the town of Raqqa." The men were reportedly from one family. In Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019…

Summary

Published
9 October 2017
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

9 October 2017

Incident Code

CI866

Location

Al Qaim, Al Anbar, Iraq
According to one local source reported that many civilians were killed or injured in alleged Coalition airstrikes targeted several areas in Qaim, west of Anbar province. Yaqein attributed the bombings in different areas of Al Qaim to the International Alliance. The other local sources reported that the airstrike on Al Qaim was linked to the start of a…

Summary

Published
9 October 2017
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

8 October 2017

Incident Codes

CI865 RS2613

Location

Al Qaim, Al Anbar, Iraq
According to many reported, two brothers were killed in Al Qaim, Iraq or al Hari in Syria, near the Iraqi border on October 8, 2017. Reports were contested: one source implied that Iraqi aircraft may have been responsible, while a number of sources identified Russia as the culprit, one source attributed the attack to the…

Summary

Published
8 October 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military, U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident

Incident Date

8 October 2017

Incident Code

CS1596

Location

التوسعية, Ar Raqqah: Tawwassoui'ya neighbourhood, Raqqa, Syria
As many as 26 civilians were killed, including a family of six, in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqah’s Al Tawsuya neighbourhood, according to local media. Despite initial uncertainty of the date, Amnesty reported that the strike occurred on the 8th October 2017.  In a private message to Airwars, RBSS said the victims died on…

Summary

Published
8 October 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
26
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S.-led Coalition
View Incident