Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1413

Incident date

August 24, 2017

Location

al Der'iya, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.947222, 38.991389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An adult male and his youngest daughter were killed in suspected US-led Coalition strikes on al Der’iya neighbourhood, west of Raqqa city. Out of the eleven sources collected two did not specify an actor and referred only to “shelling”, whilst nine sources blamed the US-led Coalition.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Nidal Mohammed Shehadeh
Adult male killed
Youngest daughter of Nidal Mohammed Shehadeh
Child female killed

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Dariya (الدرعیة) in the city of Raqqa. The exact boundaries of this neighbourhood are unclear, it covers a large area in the west of the city, for which the generic coordinates are: 35.947222, 38.991389.

  • Two possible locations for the neighbourhood of Diri’ya (الدرعیة)

    Imagery:
    © 2019 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Nidal Mohammed Shehadeh and his youngest child were reportedly killed in shelling of the al Der’iya neighborhood, west of Raqqa city, August 24th 2017. (via RBSS)
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 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 24th-25th the Coalition reported “Near Raqqah, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed five fighting positions.” It additionally reported that “On Aug. 24, near Raqqah, Syria, 41 strikes engaged 33 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 33 fighting positions, an ISIS headquarters, three vehicles, an IED, an anti-air artillery system, and a command and control node.” And that “On Aug. 24, near Raqqah, Syria, 11 strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units and destroyed five fighting positions, two command and control nodes, and a heavy machine gun.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

Thursday 24 August – Typhoons and Tornados struck four targets in Raqqa, and ten targets around Tal Afar, including a truck-bomb factory…The following day [August 24th], Typhoons and Tornados struck a further four positions in Raqqa with Paveways, including a sniper and a machine-gun team.

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
    2
  • (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 (11) [ collapse]