Incident Code

CS017

Location

سلوك, Suluk, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.59539, 39.128559
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S17)

An internal Coalition report, citing web sources, noted claims that civilian casualties had been alleged at Slouk “on a strike on some grain silos.” The aircraft was likely to have been a US armed drone, due to the Hellfire missile used.

An initial investigation concluded that there had been no civilians injured: “The only strike that corresponded with the report was a strike on a tank about 70km N of Raqaa. Review of the aircrew’s video showed that the strike conducted with [] AGM-114, struck the target. No civilians were present on the video, either pre- or post-strike… No further inquiry required.”

A search of public records by Airwars found that the location of the Coalition’s strike did appear to be Slouk. As Raialyoum reported at the time: “The strikes [which were attributed instead to October 29th]continued in the northern countryside, targeting granaries [silos] around Slouk 80km north of Raqqa city. These are believed to be used by IS as stores for heavy weapons that were captured from Brigade 80. The raid resulted in the destruction of part of the silos, and an IS tank parked nearby.

An Islamic State propaganda video released on November 2nd 2014 alleged that civilians had died in the attack, showing the corpses of what it said were two petrol sellers. However no reference was made to grain silos.

 

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Suluk (سلوك), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.59539, 39.128559. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
Other
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
NE of Raqqah, Syria
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
COALITION-ASSESSED CASUALTY INCIDENT
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2015-05-01
Original Source
The only strike that corresponded was on a tank about 70 km N of Raqqah. Review of the aircrew’s video showed that the strike, conducted with AGM 114, struck the target. No civilians were present either pre- or post-strike. An internal review of a strike during the initial deliberate strikes in Syria prior to 29 September on the area IVO grain silos in Idlib had already been conducted, determined not to have been CIVCAS.