Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1411

Incident date

August 23, 2017

Location

Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Up to 16 civilians died and up to 64 were wounded in alleged Coalition air and artillery strikes in Raqqa between August 23rd and 24th, local media reported. It should be noted that these are general numbers and may encompass other casualty events; moreover, locations of these deaths in Raqqa are currently unclear.

Euphrates Post reported “more than 15 martyrs and dozens injured following 70 air raids and dozens of artillery shells by SDF militias targeting the neighbourhoods of the city of Raqqa in the past 48 hours.”

Airwars understands that only the Coalition has access to artillery in Raqqa. According to the Shaam News Network on August 24th, the Coalition carried out 77 air strikes in Raqqa during the past 24 hours.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Raqqah (الرقة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.9505639, 39.0094148. Due to the limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 16
  • Civilians reported injured
    60–64
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (14) [ collapse]

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 information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 23rd-24th: “Near Raqqah, nine strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units and destroyed 11 fighting positions and a vehicle.” It additionally reported that “On Aug. 23, near Raqqah, Syria, 44 strikes engaged 27 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 77 fighting positions, six ISIS headquarters, three command and control nodes, an explosives cache, a heavy machine gun, and a vehicle.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

Wednesday 23 August – Typhoons attacked two terrorist positions in Raqqa, whilst Tornados and Typhoons hit an armed truck and terrorists on foot in and around Tal Afar…On Wednesday 23 August, a Typhoon flight used Paveway IVs to destroy two defensive positions in Raqqa, from which Daesh extremists were firing on the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • For Aug 23rd-29th, France report 8 strikes in Iraq and 11 strikes in Syria, plus 46 artillery missions in Tal Afar, Iraq.(@EtatMajorFR)

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 16
  • Civilians reported injured
    60–64
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (14) [ collapse]