Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS721

Incident date

April 23, 2017

Location

الهزيمة, Al Hazimah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.1320519, 38.9661026 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Hazimah, according to local sources.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently said that “a number of martyrs fell following Coalition raids on Hazima town north of Raqqa city.” Step News reported “more than nine raids north of Raqqa” including strikes on the outskirts of Hazimah but did not mention civilian casualties.

Al Raqqa Ahlona named the victims – however, it should noted that these victims were also named as killed in incident CS711 on April 20th at Maysaloun Farms, Raqqa.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmed Hussein Al Taweel
Age unknown male killed
Mohamed Ahmed Al Hassan Al Taweel
Age unknown male killed

The victims were named as:

Moses the Mohammed
Age unknown male killed
The son of Juma
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (7) [ 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 Hazimah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 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 April 22nd – 23rd, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 10 strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroyed 24 ISIS oil facility assets and a fighting position.”

For April 23rd-24th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, seven strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, a heavy machine gun, a tactical vehicle, and an ISIS well head.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Sunday 23 April – Typhoons destroyed an armed truck south-west of Tabqah in Syria, while Tornados bombed a Daesh position in western Mosul…On Sunday 23 April, Typhoons assisted the SDF, destroying an armed truck near Tabqah, west of Raqqa. In western Mosul, a Daesh-held building was struck by a Paveway IV, released by a Tornado flight, after Iraqi troops came under fire from the building.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]