Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS600

Incident date

March 21, 2017

Location

حي الأكراد, Al Akrad, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9630019, 39.0146828 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One to two civilian members of an Islamic State family were killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the Al Akrad neighbourhood of Raqqa city, local media reported.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “A local source in the city of Al-Raqqa said raids likely carried out by the Coalition targeted the Al Akrad neighborhood, which was recently evacuated by the organization [IS] and taken as a first line of defense from the northern side of the city. The raids killed one man and one woman and injured six others from the families of IS who did not leave the neighborhood.” Smart News published an identical report.

Arabs Today also reported the death of a man in a Coalition strike. However, it said that “six other members of the organization [IS) who did not leave the neighborhood” were also injured, suggesting that the combatant status of the wounded was uncertain.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–6
  • 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Akrad Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 30, 2017
  • 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For March 21st-22nd: the Coalition stated: “Near Ar Raqqah, 18 strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area; destroyed four command and control nodes, three tanker trucks, three ISIS-held buildings, an oil storage tank, a VBIED, an ISIS headquarters, a fighting position, and an ISIS media facility; and damaged four supply routes.”

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • On Mar. 21 #CJTFOIR conducted 29 strikes consisting of 60 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria & Iraq. MORE: http://ow.ly/O0uF30a9gt8 (via CJTFOIR)

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]