Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1235

Location

شارع سيف الدولة, Ar Raqqah: Saif Al Dawla street/neighbourhood, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.949511, 39.021953
Accuracy: Exact location (via Airwars)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S1081a)

Ten civilians including two women and six children from two families died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Saif al Dawla, according local sources.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) reported the “massacre of two families, killing 10 people, in a Coalition strike in the neighbourhood of Saif Al Dawla at midnight last night.” It named victims from the al Noujoum family.

The journalist, Mohab Naser, published a very graphic A’amaq video showing the aftermath of a strike with seriously injured victims, including children. We do not know whether the footage is of this specific strike, however, it says that there were several Coalition strikes on July 18th.

Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality” reported that “Ten members of two families – six children, two women and 2 men – where killed when a Coalition air strike targeted the second floor apartment of a four-storey building where they were sheltering.”

Oday, a survivor of the raid made a testimony to Amnesty saying, “We were sheltering on the ground floor but that morning Daesh (IS) members ordered us to go to the second floor and they went to the roof. After they returned to the ground floor an air strike hit us on the second floor, killing everyone except me.”

Victims

Family members (5)

Mohammed Ahmed al Noujoum
Adult male killed
Hassna Hamdoush
killed
Fatima Mohammed Al-Najoum
Child female killed
Hamzah Mohammed al Noujoum
Child killed
Saad Mohammed al Noujoum
Child killed

Family members (5)

Ahmed Al-Musghali
Adult male killed
Ruwaida al-Suwaidan
Adult female wife killed
Muntazer Ahmed Al-Musghali
Child killed
Mayar Ahmed Al-Musghal
Child killed
Haya Ahmed Almousgli
Child female killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Civilians reported killed
10
6 Children, 2 Women, 2 Men

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
near Raqqah, Syria
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
37SEV018781
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For July 18th-19th: “Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged 11 ISIS tactical units and destroyed nine fighting positions, two vehicles and a tactical vehicle.” It additionally reported that “On July 18, near Raqqah, Syria, 18 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 18 fighting positions, an anti-aircraft artillery system, a weapons cache, and a sniper position; and damaged a fighting position and a supply route.” For July 19th-20th: “Near Raqqah, eight strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, a supply cache, and a tunnel; and suppressed a mortar team.” It additionally reported that “On July 19, near Raqqah, Syria, 19 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units; destroyed 34 fighting positions, two IEDs, and a VBIED; and damaged four fighting positions and a mortar position.” And also that “On July 19, near Raqqah, Syria, two strikes destroyed two ISIS fighting positions and a storage facility and suppressed a mortar system.”
French Military Strike Report
For July 12th-18th, France report 11 strikes: 7 in Syria (6 in Raqqa) and 4 in Iraq. There were 26 artillery strikes in Mosul. Since September 19th 2014 France has carried out 1322 strikes, with 2090 targets destroyed and 6812 air sorties. Additionally, they’ve carried out 1310 artillery missions.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2018-08-30
Original Source
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.

Media From Sources (11)