Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS518

Location

فتاتيش, Al Fatatish, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.083889, 39.8225
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S455)

Between two and nine civilians died and dozens more were injured in an airstrike/artillery bombardment on Fatatish village in the eastern Raqqa coountryside, according to local sources – though reports are conflicted as to whether the deaths were caused by Coalition jets or shelling in the ares by the SDF and Kurdish militias.

The media activist Abdel-Karim Al-Yousef’s told ARA News “This evening, in the village of Fattatish in the eastern countryside, there was a Coalition aerial bombardment – three raids – that killed eight people and injured others.”

Euphrates Post also blamed the Coalition putting the death toll at nine with dozens more wounded.

However, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently reported “a massacre leaving eight civilian martyrs in raids by Kurdish militias and the international Coalition”.

Asharqiya Voice said that “SDF militias targeted Fatatish with artillery”.

Smart news agency, however, reported that “likely” Coalition warplanes killed two non-combatants – and injured 11 more – while six others were killed in SDF shelling.

A report by Raqqa Post blamed Saleh Muslim [kurdish] militias.

 

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
2–9
Civilians reported injured
11–24

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Fatatish (فتاتيش), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.083889, 39.8225. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
a:1:{i:0;s:20:"no_coalition_strikes";}
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
near Fatatish (Raqqah), Syria
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For February 20th-21st, the Coalition reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, seven strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed three fighting positions, a VBIED, a garage, an IED and a weapons facility; and damaged a bridge.”
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2017-09-29
Original Source
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.