Possible strike errors


 * Russian bloggers (e.g. here and elsewhere) and Bild raised issues that some of the strikes, said to be on oil processing facilities, could be on wrong targets, possibly grain storage on video 1 and video 2, and possibly water treatment plant on video 3. This is indeed how it looks; possibly some of those was on targets converted to a different use; or else in error. It may be a result of lack of experience, including dealing with media -e.g. it will be better if Russian MoD exhibit awareness of different use, if indeed the case.

Deir ez-Zor

 * ''Moved to Airstrike on Saeqa military camp near Deir ez-Zor

Hasakah

 * BBC, 26 civilians killed:
 * ''At least 26 civilians, including children, have been killed in the north-east of Syria by air strikes possibly carried out by the US-led coalition, a monitoring group says.


 * The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the village of al-Khan, near al-Hawl in Hasakah province, was hit.


 * U.S. coalition investigating reports its airstrikes killed at least 36 Syrian civilians McClatchy, December 7. Citing a Syrian living in Germany, who lost five family members in the incident, of a total 36 killed. 20 of them were children.
 * Syrian media activists and a relative of one of the families told McClatchy that the villagers had an altercation with Islamic State militants and asked them to leave. The tension grew into an exchange of fire.


 * “The Islamic State sent reinforcements to the village . . . and coalition jets targeted the convoy,” said Khalil Khatouny, 27, who now lives in Germany. The airstrikes killed Islamic State members and civilians, mainly women and children, he said.

Here it sounds like the civilian victims were in the convoy that was targeted. Coalition forces acknowledge hitting vehicles, including one packed with explosives, besides ISIS "fighting positions."


 * US Led Coalition Kills 34 Syrian Civilians in Suspected Airstrikes: Reports El-Akhbar
 * “As a result of the strikes…10 houses were completely destroyed. According to information provided by the villagers, 34 people to be exact were killed, most of them women and children,” an RT Arabic source on the ground said after speaking with those injured in the attack.


 * Following the coalition’s air raid, ISIS managed to capture Al-Khan, the RT Arabic source confirmed, adding that terrorists’ fighters prevented people from fleeing the village. He described one incident in which a car packed with explosives killed a man and three of his children, tearing off one of the children mother’s legs in the process.

So by reports, locals had taken up armed resistance to ISIS, had reinforcements become necessary, and got coalition help in hitting the reinforcements. But somehow, 36 civilians were killed by that help. It may or may not have contributed to or slowed ISIS re-taking the rebellious town and probably punishing it now.


 * A US spokesman in Iraq said the reports would be looked into.

They were able to instantly dismiss the Airstrike on Saeqa military camp near Deir ez-Zore, but this killing of civilians was a claim they had to look into first. Strikes in the area and time were acknowledged.

Location: Al-Hawl on wikimapia, east of Hasakeh, closer to lake Khatuniyah, amid oil fields and army bases. Al-Khan, the village actually cited, is here 12 km to the south, probably - Ayn al-Khan, between the Tishreen/al-Hawl and Kabibah oil fields.

Opposition records: As of December 11, the VDC still does not list any Hasakeh civilians killed this day. All "warplane shelling" most recent is October 31. The claim of tens of dead people in a rebel-held part of Syria of course is quite credible. But the logging here is strangely delayed, perhaps over how to list them.