Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS585

Incident date

March 17, 2017

Location

زور شمر, Zor Shmar, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.78379, 39.36559 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were reported killed and eight or more injured following reported Coalition strikes at Zor Shamr and Kasrat Sheikh Juma’a.

According to the Smart news agency, which also pointed towards the Coalition, “sources explained that the planes bombed the villages of Zor Shamr (45 km east of Raqqa city) and Kasrat Sheikh Juma’a (8 km southwest of Raqqa city), killing five civilians and wounding eight others, including women and children, who were taken to the national hospital in al Tabaqa.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the villages of Zor Shamer (45 km east of Raqqa) and Kasrat Sheikh Jum’a (8 km west of Raqqa). The coordinates for Zor Shamr are: 35.78379, 39.36559. The coordinates Kasrat Sheikh Jum’a ( كسرة شیخ جمعة ) are: 35.905278, 38.963889.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ 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 Zor Shmar, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 30, 2017
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that 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
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]