Airwars.org – 2016-06-07 02:46:49
https://airwars.org
Monitoring International Airstrikes
Airwars.org
Airwars is a journalist-led transparency project working around four strands. We monitor and assess reports of civilian casualties allegedly caused by Coalition and other international airstrikes. We analyze data from the campaigns to help make sense of the war. We archive military claims. And we publish news on our findings.
[Our focus is] monitoring international airstrikes against so-called Islamic State (Daesh) and other groups in Iraq and Syria, archiving official reports of the war, assessing claims of civilian casualties, promoting accountability of international forces.
669 — Days of Campaign
12,802 — Coalition Strikes
8,718 — Strikes in Iraq
4,084 — Strikes in Syria
44,402 — Bombs and Missiles Dropped
1,278 — Minimum Civilians Likely Killed
Latest Coalition Report
June 5th-June 6th 2016: 14 new airstrikes
Monthly summary: Below are all known published daily Coalition military reports relating to the air war against Islamic State/ Daesh in Iraq and Syria for June 2016. We have also included relevant video and photo releases, as well as cross-indicating where any known alleged civilian or ‘friendly fire’ casualties have been reported.
June 1st-2nd 2016
Iraq 17 strikes (8,650-8,666)
Syria 15 strikes (4,023-4,037)
Confirmed actions: US
From CJTF-OIR:
‘On June 01, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes using bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Ar Raqqah, three strikes destroyed six ISIL oil pump jacks and an ISIL crane.
* Near Manbij, 12 strikes struck 11 separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL-used cave, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), ISIL-used tunnel systems, and four ISIL vehicles and damaged a separate ISIL vehicle.
Iraq
* Near Al Qaim, one strike [1 British?] struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Albu Hayat, one strike struck an ISIL VBIED.
* Near Fallujah, four strikes [2 British] struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 10 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL recoilless rifle, an ISIL heavy machine gun, and an ISIL-used tunnel system and damaged a separate ISIL fighting position and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Habbaniyah, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle.
* Near Haditha, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Hit one strike destroyed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Mosul, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, and an ISIL assembly area and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position.
* Near Qayyarah, two strikes [1 British] destroyed three ISIL rocket rails and an ISIL rocket system.
* Near Sinjar, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position.
* Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike struck an ISIL VBIED factory.’
Update from UK MoD for Wednesday 1 June:
‘Wednesday 1 June — Tornados struck three Daesh strongpoints on the southern outskirts of Fallujah, whilst Reapers destroyed a terrorist check-point and a rocket launcher in western and northern Iraq respectively . . . . Reapers were in action again on Wednesday 1 June. One patrolled the skies above Qayyarah, where a camouflaged set of loaded rocket launch rails were spotted and destroyed with a Hellfire missile.
A second Reaper patrolled over eastern Syria and western Iraq, and located a terrorist checkpoint on the Iraqi side of the border, west of Al Qa’im, which was stopping the free movement of traffic. Again, a Hellfire missile was employed and the checkpoint successfully attacked. Two Tornado missions provided reconnaissance and close air support to Iraqi forces around Fallujah.
One pair of Tornados used Paveway IVs to conduct simultaneous attacks on two Daesh-held buildings close to a canal to the south of the city; one building housed a terrorist sniper team, the other a recoilless anti-tank artillery piece. Both targets were destroyed by direct hits.
The second Tornado flight successfully silenced a heavy-machine-gun positioned in a third Daesh strongpoint after it opened fire on the advancing Iraqi troops.’
June 2nd-3rd 2016
Iraq 15 strikes (8,667-8,681)
Syria 14 strikes (4,038-4,051)
Confirmed actions: US
From CJTF-OIR:
‘On June 02, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 14 strikes using bomber, ground-attack, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Ar Raqqah, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL oil pump jack.
* Near Manbij, 10 strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL cave entrances, two ISIL caves, and an ISIL-used bridge.
* Near Mar’a, one strike destroyed an ISIL artillery system.
Iraq
* Near Fallujah, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 11 ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL recoilless rifles, five ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL weapons caches, and two ISIL staging areas.
* Near Habbaniyah, two strikes struck two separate large ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL mortar system.
* Near Hit one strike produced inconclusive results.
* Near Kisik, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL weapons cache.
* Near Mosul, four strikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL mortar system, and an ISIL vehicle and damaged a separate ISIL vehicle.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike struck an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) factory.’
June 3rd-4th 2016
Iraq 13 strikes (8,682-8,694)
Syria 12 strikes (4,052-4,063)
Confirmed actions: US
From CJTF-OIR:
‘On June 03, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes using ground-attack, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Manbij, eight strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, four ISIL caves, an ISIL vehicle, and an ISIL vehicle borne improvised device (VBIED).
* Near Mar’a, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL weapons storage facility, and an ISIL staging area and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL rocket rail.
Iraq
* Near Fallujah, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL supply caches, and six ISIL staging areas and damaged three ISIL fighting positions and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Habbaniyah, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun, and an ISIL VBIED.
* Near Mosul, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and an ISIL staging area and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Tal Afar, two strikes struck an ISIL IED facility and an ISIL VBIED factory.’
June 4th-5th 2016
Iraq 10 strikes (8,695-8,704)
Syria 13 strikes (4,064-4,076)
Confirmed actions: US
From CJTF-OIR:
‘On June 04, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes using bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and bomber, ground-attack, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Manbij, nine strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL-used bridge, five ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL headquarters.
* Near Mar’a, four strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL bed down location and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL mortar system, and an ISIL weapons storage facility.
Iraq
* Near Al Baghdadi, two strikes destroyed four ISIL rockets rails, an ISIL rocket cache, and an ISIL petroleum, oil, and lubricants facility.
* Near Fallujah, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL recoilless rifle, and two ISIL tunnels and damaged two ISIL fighting positions and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Habbaniyah, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL boat, three ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL weapons cache.
* Near Mosul, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL mortar system and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck an ISIL headquarters and destroyed 17 ISIL boats.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.’
June 5th-6th 2016
Iraq 14 strikes (8,705-8,718)
Syria 8 strikes (4,077-4,084)
Confirmed actions: US
From CJTF-OIR:
‘On June 5, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 14 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:
Syria
* Near Al Shadaddi, one strike destroyed two ISIL excavators.
* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike destroyed an ISIL workover rig and an ISIL crane.
* Near Manbij, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL bed down location, and an ISIL anti-air artillery piece.
* Near Mar’a, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
Iraq
* Near Albu Hayat, two strikes struck an ISIL training facility and destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle.
* Near Fallujah, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) factory, two ISIL VBIEDs, an ISIL warehouse, and an ISIL tunnel entrance and denied ISIL access to terrain.
* Near Habbaniyah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Haditha, one strike destroyed an ISIL artillery piece, an ISIL ammunition cache, and an ISIL mortar system.
* Near Mosul, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas.
* Near Qayyarah, two strikes destroyed three ISIL mortar systems.
* Near Rawah, one strike struck an ISIL staging facility.
* Near Sinjar, one strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed an ISIL front-end loader.’
Summary Findings on Coalition Airstrikes:
August 8th 2014 to May 2nd 2016
To May 2nd 2016, an overall total of between 2,699 and 3,625 civilian non-combatant fatalities had been alleged from 414 separate reported incidents, in both Iraq and Syria. However, some caution is needed given the significant challenges of casualty verification at present.
The Coalition has so far confirmed 26 of these incidents as causing civilian casualties — fifteen events in Iraq and eleven in Syria. We estimate that between 59 and 70 non-combatants died in these incidents (the US places the death toll more conservatively at 42.) The Coalition has additionally confirmed it likely killed Iraq Army forces in a ‘friendly fire’ event at Fallujah on December 18th 2015, which the public record indicates killed 10 to 23 Iraqi troops.
In addition to these confirmed events, it is our provisional view at Airwars that between 1,113 and 1,691 civilian non-combatants appear likely to have been killed in 172 further incidents where there is fair reporting publicly available of an event — and where Coalition strikes were confirmed in the near vicinity on that date. At least 878 civilians were also reportedly injured in these events.
Some 76 of these incidents were in Iraq (593 to 968 reported deaths) and 96 events in Syria (with a reported fatality range of 520 to 723.)
Across both nations, 23 alleged incidents have in our view been disproven, ie are highly unlikely to have involved Coalition aircraft (153 to 242 claimed deaths). An additional 83 to 131 civilians reportedly died in 14 events where the reporting appears fair, but where it remains unclear whether the Coalition carried out any attack in the vicinity on the date in question.
A further 572 to 590 claimed deaths are attributed to 95 alleged Coalition airstrikes, which are presently weakly reported or single-sourced.
An additional 618 to 777 asserted fatalities resulted from 64 contested events (for example, claims that the Iraq Air Force or ground actions might instead have been responsible.) Some 20 further contested events (105 to 125 deaths) may have involved Russian aircraft in Syria.
In addition to the one confirmed case cited above, 173 to 248 ‘friendly fire’ deaths of allied ground forces have been attributed to the Coalition from 21 additional incidents, with varying levels of credibility.
To April 22nd 2016 the Coalition had provisionally investigated 162 alleged casualty incidents in total, of which it had deemed 112 to be ‘not credible.’
Latest Alleged Coalition incident:
April 30, 2016
Mosul, Nineveh Province, Iraq
Summary: According to local reports, a professor named as Dr. Ziad Khalaf — sometimes known as Abu Tariq — was killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Mosul’s cultural quarter.
No additonal details are presently known.
Civilians reported killed: 1
Reported injured: Unknown
Sources: Mosul News Agency [Arabic], Raad Abasi blog [Arabic],
Quality of reporting: Effectively single source
Coalition position: The Coalition reports for April 29th-30th 2016 that “Near Mosul, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL assembly areas, two ISIL bed down locations, two ISIL fighting positions, and an ISIL weapons cache.”
For April 30th-May 1st the Coalition reports: “Near Mosul, six strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL mortar systems, two ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL weapons cache.”
How we grade alleged incidents
Because of wide variations in the quality of casualty recording, Airwars uses a grading system for events alleging non-combatant or ‘friendly fire’ deaths from Coalition airstrikes. These are:
Confirmed: Where the coalition or an individual ally has accepted responsibility for the killing of non-combatants or allied forces in a particular incident.
Fair: Reasonable level of public reporting of alleged incident from two or more generally credible sources (often with biographical, photographic or video evidence). Crucially, there are also confirmed coalition strikes in the near vicinity for that date. We believe these cases in particular require urgent investigation.
Fair, but with no confirmed strikes: Locations provided by the Coalition in its daily reports can be overly vague, and on occasion it has not reported strikes on particular locales. At other times the Coalition might state categorically that it did not carry out an airstrike at a named location on a particular date — despite fair evidence of an airstrike in the vicinity.
Weak: Single source claims. Even so, these may feature biographical or photographic detail from a reputable source, with coalition strikes also confirmed in the vicinity.
Contested Events: Where there are claims of both coalition and Iraqi or Syrian aircraft having carried out strikes at a location.
Disproven: Those cases where our researchers or others can either demonstrate that those killed were combatants; where no Coalition strike took place at the location; or where an incident did not result in any civilian casualties.
Also see our Methodology
Additional Resources
Airwars monitors media and social media sites in both Iraq and Syria for claims of coalition-inflicted casualties. We also collate reports from regionally-focused groups, and follow up on allegations with the coalition where possible.
Extensive additional civilian casualties are caused by other parties to both the Iraq and Syria conflicts. These include Iraqi and Syrian government forces and allied militias; and militant and terror groups including Islamic State/ Daesh, and the al-Nusra Front.
A number of monitoring groups based in the Middle East and elsewhere issue daily reports, which cover not just civilians killed by the coalition, but all of those affected by the wars in Iraq and Syria.
You can find more information below:
* Syrian Network for Human Rights
Violations Documentation Center
* Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

* Raqaa is Being Slaughtered Silently

* White Helmets
* Bellingcat (geolocation of strikes)
* Iraq Body Count
* United Nations Mission in Iraq
* Coalition Press Office
