Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS485

Incident date

February 11, 2017

Location

حمرة بويتية, Hamra Bouwaitiya, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.93771, 39.12475 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported the deaths of seven civilians following US-led Coalition raids on a number of villages surrounding Raqqa.

According to Smart News “a medical source, confirmed the arrival of seven dead civilians to the hospital and 14 wounded, including women and children in a critical condition, due to targeting by coalition aircraft the villages of “Hamra Bouwaitiya, Al A’nnadiya and Al Raqqa al Samra in the eastern Raqqa countryside.”

No additional details or sources are presently known.

The incident occured between 12:00 am and 10:00 pm local time.

Geolocation notes

Smart News mentions the villages of Al A’nnadiya (العنادیة), Hamra Bouwaitiya (حمرة بویتیة) and Al Raqqa al Samra (الرقة السمرة), all in “Eastern Raqqa countryside”. The coordinates for Al A’nnadiya (العنادیة) are: 35.968333, 39.094167. The coordinates for Hamra Bouwaitiya (حمرة بویتیة) are: 35.933056, 39.128611. The coordinates for Al Raqqa al Samra (الرقة السمرة) are: 35.9327067, 39.0910721.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    14
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Hamra Bouwaitiy, Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 30, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For February 10th-11th the Coalition stated: “Near Ar Raqqah, 10 strikes engaged four ISIL tactical unit; destroyed three tactical vehicles, three fighting positions, two vehicles, an ISIL headquarters, a tunnel system, and a weapons storage facility.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    14
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]