Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1076

Incident date

June 25, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one and as many as 20 civilians, including women and children, were reportedly killed and others injured following alleged Coalition and SDF shelling in Raqqa.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) and others said that the casualties came as a result of more than 80 artillery shells being fired into the city. RBSS added that the SDF was also culpable .

According to Al Hassaka Rasd, “three children were killed and others wounded, mostly children and women, in artillery shelling by the Kurdish units on the neighborhoods of the city of Raqqa after the Eid prayer [which is at dawn]”.

Sharqiya Voice reported the death of one child and wounding of 12 more civilians after “more than 80 artillery shells” fell on Raqqa.

@majd12347651 put the death toll at 20 including nine children – and blamed the Coalition.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 20
  • (1–9 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–12
  • 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 (15) [ 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
    a:1:{i:0;s:24:"insufficient_information";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 25 strikes engaged 17 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 16 fighting positions, five vehicles, two ammo caches, a recoilless rifle, a supply cache, and an UAS launch site; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.” It additionally reported that “On June 24, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike destroyed two fighting positions.” And that “On June 24, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroyed 19 fighting positions and two vehicles, and damaged a weapons cache.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 20
  • (1–9 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–12
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]