Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS967

Incident date

June 12, 2017

Location

حي المشلب, Al Mashlab, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9449373, 39.0474701 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child died in an alleged Coalition airstrike or artillery shelling, according to local media. The victim was named by multiple sources as Laith Omar al Haram.

According to the Step News Agency, “international Coalition aircraft targeted the eastern and western neighbourhoods of the city with a large number of raids and targeted the outskirts of the Mashbal district with white phosphorus.”

Q_Alenzy named Laith Omar al Haram as killed by a Coalition airstrike, however, the Syrian Network blamed SDF artillery, while Raqqa Ahluna referred only to “shelling”. Only the Coalition was conducting artillery strikes on the city in this period.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Laith Omar al Haram
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Leith Omar Al-Haram was killed by alleged Coalition shelling in Mashlib, Raqqa (via Raqqa Ahluna)
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 Mashlab, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV044776
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • 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 June 11th-12th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 23 strikes engaged 20 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 16 fighting positions, two vehicles, and two ISIS boats; damaged five ISIS supply routes; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.” It additionally reported that “On June 11, near Raqqah, Syria, six strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions and suppressed a sniper team.” And that “On June 11, near Raqqah, Syria, two strikes destroyed two fighting positions.”

For June 12th-13th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 22 strikes engaged 20 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 21 fighting positions and four vehicles.” It additionally reported that “On June 12, near Raqqah, Syria, nine strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units and destroyed seven fighting positions, an IED factory, an ISIS staging area, an ammo cache, and a command and control node.”

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

On the 15/6-17, the French MoD reported: "In the past week, France reports his 31 sorties, 28 of which were Armed Reconnaissance or Ground Support (CAS) and 3 were intelligence gathering. Two strikes were conducted by French planes in Iraq and Syria, one in the west of Raqqah city, and the other in the Al Qaim region, both against ISIL fighters. Task Force Wagram carried out 80 artillery strikes in Mosul."

Cette semaine, les aéronefs de l’opération Chammal ont réalisé 31 sorties aériennes dont 28 de reconnaissance armée ou d’appui au sol (CAS) et 3 de recueil de renseignements. 2 frappes ont été conduites par les avions français en Irak et en Syrie, l’une à l’Ouest de la ville de Raqqah, et l’autre dans la région d’Al Qaim, toutes deux contre des combattants de Daech.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]