Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS406

Incident date

December 6, 2016

Location

الثورة‎, Al-Thawrah (Tabaqah), Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians reportedly died and three were injured in an alleged Coalition strike at al Tabaqa.

The victims were said to be from Qaryatain in Homs, with Step News, Shaam News Network and Euphrates Post reporting that they died while collecting wood. Syria News Desk instead said the trio died when homes were struck.

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event was presently assessed as ‘Not credible.’ A second review published in August 2017 asserted that “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Martyrdom of: Ali Abdoul-Khaleq Al-AMouri Hussein Al-Shahoud Mohammed Al-Arandas They’re from Karyateen and killed near Tabaqa due to coalition warplane shelling.
  • Translation: The names of the martyrs due to coalition warplanes shelling near Tabaqa: Ali Al-AMouri Hussein Al-Shahoud Mohammed Al-Arandas
  • Translation: Coalition warplanes shelling in Karyateen and Tabaqa killed a number of civiians and wounded others including women and children.
  • Translation: Three people were killed while collecting wood near Tabaqa western countryside of Raqqa, due to coalition warplanes shelling.
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Thawrah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For December 5th-6th 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Ar Raqqah, three strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units and destroyed a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]