Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS504

Incident date

February 18, 2017

Location

الأكراد, al Akrad and al Mashlab neighbourhoods, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9449373, 39.0474701 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including one child and two women died and four others were wounded – some critically – in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the neighbourhoods of al Akrad and al Mashlab in Raqqa, according to local sources.

According to Baladi, “several sources reported from inside the city of Raqqa that international coalition planes killed five civilians, including two women and a child, and wounded several others on Saturday as a result of air strikes targeting al Mashlab and al Akrad neighbourhoods in Raqqa”.

Smart also blamed the Coalition, putting the death toll at five.

Moaaz al adalbe didn’t mention any civilian casualties but confirmed that the PKK approached the Al Mashlad neighbourhood.

The incident was first reported on February 18, 2019 at 3:07 pm by Unknown.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhoods of Al Akrad (Kurdish name)/Al Thawrah (الثورة) and Al Mashlab (المشلب). The coordinates for Al Akrad are: 35.9630019, 39.0146828. The coordinates for Al Mashlab: 35.9449373, 39.0474701.

  • Al Akrad (Kurdish)/Al Thawrah (الثورة) and Al Mashlab (المشلب) in Raqqa.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (4) [ 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 information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near the Al Akrad and Al Mashlab neighborhoods in Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 2017
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For February 17th-18th, the Coalition reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, seven strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed 70 oil barrels, three oil storage tanks, three fighting positions, two oil refinement stills and a weapons storage area; and damaged a bridge.” For February 18th-19th, they reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, 10 strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units and destroyed four oil storage tanks, three fighting positions, two ISIS-held buildings, two vehicles, a weapons cache, an oil refinement still and a communications station.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (4) [ collapse]