Attack type Airstrike Victims Civilians | Deaths 56–212 | |
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Location Tokhar and Hoshriya, Manbij District, Aleppo Governorate, Syria Date July 18, 2016 (2016-07-18)–July 19, 2016 (2016-07-19) Perpetrators United States Air Force
French Air Force (alleged) | ||
The Tokhar airstrikes, also known as the Tokhar massacre, occurred on 19 July 2016 in the village of Tokhar, during an offensive by United States backed forces near the city of Manbij in Aleppo Governorate, and carried out by the United States Air Force. The operation was carried out as part of the American-led intervention in Syria. Reports of the death toll varied, ranging from 56 to 212 civilians being killed with "entire families" pulverized.
Contents
Background
The American-led intervention in Syria has been ongoing since 22 September 2014, after the United States intervened in the Syrian Civil War against the Islamic State. Since May 31, 2016, military operations have been ongoing in the area around the city of Manbij in Aleppo province, as the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of anti-ISIL militias led by the YPG, attempt to take Manbij from the Islamic State, supported by US airstrikes.
AirWars director Chris Wood, said of civilian casualties prior to the massacre, "Since the siege began it’s our view that at least 190 civilians have been killed by coalition airstrikes, mostly US. We are concerned that the US-led alliance appears to have relaxed some of their rules concerning civilian casualties,".
Since the beginning of the American-led intervention in Syria, independent monitoring group 'Airwars' estimate 1,422 civilians have been killed in airstrikes carried out by the US Air Force, though the overall total could be as high as between 3,181 and 4,267 civilian non-combatant fatalities from 493 separate reported incidents.
Attack
On Tuesday 19 July 2016, American warplanes attacked the Syrian village of Tokhar, which was housing civilians displaced by the fighting between the Islamic State and the Syrian Democratic Forces.
“This is likely the worst reported civilian toll of any coalition attack since the bombing campaign against Isis began nearly two years ago,” said AirWars director Chris Wood.
Investigation
On 17 July 2016, Colonel Chris Garver, spokesman for the coalition fighting Islamic State, said the United States military has found enough credible information to begin a formal investigation. Garver said a credibility assessment had been completed and the formal investigation had been initiated.
Reactions
Aftermath
On 28 July 2016, US airstrikes killed at least 28 civilians, mostly women and including seven children, in the nearby village of Ghandoura.