Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS017

Incident date

October 28, 2014

Location

سلوك, Suluk, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.59539, 39.128559 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An internal Coalition report, citing web sources, noted claims that civilian casualties had been alleged at Slouk “on a strike on some grain silos.” The aircraft was likely to have been a US armed drone, due to the Hellfire missile used.

An initial investigation concluded that there had been no civilians injured: “The only strike that corresponded with the report was a strike on a tank about 70km N of Raqaa. Review of the aircrew’s video showed that the strike conducted with [] AGM-114, struck the target. No civilians were present on the video, either pre- or post-strike… No further inquiry required.”

A search of public records by Airwars found that the location of the Coalition’s strike did appear to be Slouk. As Raialyoum reported at the time: “The strikes [which were attributed instead to October 29th]continued in the northern countryside, targeting granaries [silos] around Slouk 80km north of Raqqa city. These are believed to be used by IS as stores for heavy weapons that were captured from Brigade 80. The raid resulted in the destruction of part of the silos, and an IS tank parked nearby.

An Islamic State propaganda video released on November 2nd 2014 alleged that civilians had died in the attack, showing the corpses of what it said were two petrol sellers. However no reference was made to grain silos.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Other
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    NE of Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2015
  • The only strike that corresponded was on a tank about 70 km N of Raqqah. Review of the aircrew’s video showed that the strike, conducted with AGM 114, struck the target. No civilians were present either pre- or post-strike. An internal review of a strike during the initial deliberate strikes in Syria prior to 29 September on the area IVO grain silos in Idlib had already been conducted, determined not to have been CIVCAS.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

COALITION-ASSESSED CASUALTY INCIDENT

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]