Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS427

Incident date

January 6, 2017

Location

سويدية كبيرة, Sowaiydiya Kabira, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8961424, 38.6190033 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least eight civilians were reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Sowaydiya, as the US-led Coalition and its SDF ground proxies continued to battle ISIL in Raqqa governorate.

According to Raqqah is Being Slaughtered, there were “nine martyrs and three injured in a massacre at the village of al Sowaydiya Kabira following targeting by international Coalition planes of the home of Khalaf al Illo.

ISIL placed the death toll at 12, while LCCSY said there were “10 martyrs in Raqqa from one family killed in Coalition raids on al Tabaqa.” Step News said 10 civilians were also injured.

The Syrian Observatory reported that “the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation. Al-Swidiyyeh massacre is considered the first massacre against civilians carried out by warplanes of the coalition during the year 2017.”

Baladi and Jisr TV were among other sources who also blamed the Coalition, putting the death toll at five. According to the Syrian Network “The bombardment resulted in the killing of eight civilians from the same family including six children and one woman.”

In December 2018, the Coalition announced that it had classed the event as non credible due to a lack of available evidence of civilian harm: “Jan. 6, 2017, near Sowaydiya Kabira, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 12
  • (6 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]

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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Sowaydiya Kabira, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV656724
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 30, 2018
  • Jan. 6, 2017, near Sowaydiya Kabira, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For January 5th-6th 2017, the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, 17 strikes engaged 11 ISIL tactical units; destroyed 10 fighting positions, five oil pump jacks, four oil refinement stills, two oil tanker trucks, an oil storage tank, a tunnel system, a VBIED storage facility, and a vehicle.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Friday 6 January – Typhoons bombed a sniper position west of Raqqa in Syria, a Reaper provided further assistance to Iraqi forces in Mosul…Reaper operations over south-east Mosul continued on Friday 6 January, with three more Hellfire attacks which killed Daesh fighters engaged in very close-quarter combat with the Iraqi forces. Assistance was also provided to the Syrian Democratic Forces in their offensive towards Raqqa, with a pair of Typhoons bombing a Deash sniper position on the north-eastern shore of Lake Assad.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 12
  • (6 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]