Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS081

Incident date

June 18, 2015

Location

Road between Suluk and Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.2451039, 39.0351105 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians were reported killed by the coalition when the car they were traveling in was struck.

According to SOHR, the vehicle was hit on the road between Ar Raqqah and Suluk. Sira Press reported: “Activists stressed that all those who were in the car were unarmed civilians and there were four of them and that aircraft targeted them near the town of Khaneez, which led to the martyrdom of everyone in the vehicle.

Sira Press also claimed that the coalition “also targeted a primitive oil refinery east of the village of Alhderatt [south east of Ain Issa], even though the refinery belongs to civilians who have nothing to do with Daesh.

In what may be a related incident, the Violations Documentation Centre named a civilian male as having been killed in ‘Coalition shellnig’ at Suluk, though gave the date of death as June 19th.

In their monthly civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition has indicated that the credibility of this civilian harm allegation is in the process of being assessed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male VDC lists him as a civilian from Boulial and killed in a coalition strike on Suluk in Raqqa

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention an area in the vicinity of the village of Khaneez (خنيز or خنيزر جنوبي), on the road between Suluk (سلوك) and Ar Raqqah, known as Route 6. The coordinates for the area on Route 6 that is West of the village of Khaneez (خنيز) are: 36.2451039, 39.0351105

  • Map showing Route 6 and the village of Khaneez (خنيز)

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Open incident
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Multiple coalition strikes were confirmed in the vicinity. For June 17th-18th 2015, the coalition noted: “Near Tal Abyad, four airstrikes struck one large and two small ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL excavator.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]