Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS584

Incident date

March 17, 2017

Location

مزرعة الصفصاف, Safsaf farms, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8414731, 38.6241531 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to reports one civilian male died and at least two others were injured following alleged Coalition strikes at Al Safsafa.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently and SHRC were among some sources who didn’t identify the warplanes responsible – though other reports blamed the Coalition.

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: “Mar. 17, 2017, near Al Safsaf, 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:

Ibrahim Al-Mohammed Al-Arabi
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ 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 Al Safsaf, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 30, 2018
  • 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 March 17th-18th, the Coalition reported that “Near Ar Raqqah, five strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units, destroyed three fighting positions, two ISIS tactical vehicles, and an ISIS weapons factory; and damaged a bridge.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]