Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS590

Incident date

March 19, 2017

Location

الثورة‎, Tabaqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between ten and 15 civilians died and 20 or more were injured in alleged Coalition airstrikes on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, according to local sources.

Qasioun reported: “According to A’maq [ISIL], Coalition warplanes raids in Tabaqa targeted the fire station and the bakery and killed 10 civilians and wounded 19. Coalition warplanes also targeted the second street near the cultural center, according to a local source.”

Al Jazeera said that “according to activists, Coalition warplanes led by the USA killed six people from the same family in the slaughter house area in Tabaqa”. The Syrian Network for Human Rights – also pointing to the Coalition – reported the death of six civilians from the same family, including a child and a woman.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently put the death toll at 12 or more, reporting that “air raids launched by the international coalition on Tabaqa city targeted a house near al Kanissa [the church] roundabout and the fire station and the automatic bakery in the city.”

The media media activist Muhab Nasser, “quoting civilian sources from the city of Al Tabaqa, told Syria News Desk that 12 civilians were killed and 17 others, including children, wounded yesterday night, as a result of raids by the coalition of different locations within the city, western. He added that the raids targeted residential sites near the parking lot, the fire building, Al Kanissa street [ church street] and the cultural center in the second district, the field hospital and residential buildings near the automated bakery in the center of the city, causing extensive damage to the residential buildings and the exit of the field hospital.”

The Shaam News Network put the death toll as high as 15, again attributing the incident to the Coalition. The source said that the jets struck several points in the city, “including the garage market, the slaughter house and the fire station”.

Q_Alenzy named the victims of a Coalition strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abdul Jabbar Sahari
Age unknown male killed
Izz Al-Deen Sahari
Age unknown killed

Family members (6)

Ismail Al-Qabas
Adult male killed
Wife of Ismaiel Al-Qabas
Adult female
Daughter of Ismail Al-Qabas
Child female killed
Abdulkareem Al-Qabas
Age unknown male killed
Maher Al-Qabas
Age unknown killed
Wael Al-Qabas
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 15
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–20
  • 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 (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (20) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded man is treated for a head injury following an alleged Coalition raid on Al Tabaqa, March 19th 2017. (via Shariya Voice)
  • Bodies are pulled from the rubble following an alleged Coalition raid on Al Tabaqa, March 19th 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The bakery burning following an alleged Coalition airstrike in Tabaqah, 19th March 2017. (via Thoaralraqqa)
  • Either Abu Ammar Sahari or Izzo Sahari, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Tabaqah, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Either Abu Ammar Sahari or Izzo Sahari, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Tabaqah, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Bodies being dug up from the rubble following alleged Coalition airstrikes on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Bodies being dug up from the rubble following alleged Coalition airstrikes on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on multiple locations in Al Tabaqa, 19th March 2017. (via RBSS)
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 Tabaqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV580651
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 29, 2018
  • After a review of available information and the 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 19th-20th it stated: “Near Ar Raqqah, 18 strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units; destroyed 10 fighting positions, six barges, three ISIS headquarters, a tactical vehicle, an IED factory, and a weapons factory; and damaged a supply route.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 15
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–20
  • 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 (33) [ collapse]