Airwars assessment
Up to 13 civilians from one family were killed following alleged Coalition airstrikes near the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in west Raqqa, local sources reported.
Some sources reported that the death toll was in fact 11. Reports said that the Coalition struck a residential building near the mosque.
All six sources which reported the incident alleged that Coalition airstrikes were responsible.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (7) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.
Original strike reports
For June 20th-21st the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units; and destroyed six fighting positions, three vehicles, three tactical vehicles, two mortar teams, a command and control node and a mortar cache.” In addition, it reported that “On June 20, near Raqqah, Syria, two strikes damaged eight fighting positions.”
For June 21st-22nd, “Near Raqqah, 14 strikes engaged 14 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 16 fighting positions, three vehicles and an ammunition cache.” It additionally reported that “On June 21, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed four ISIS staging areas, three vehicles, three fighting positions, and a VBIED; damaged a VBIED factory; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”
‘Wednesday 21 June – Typhoons struck two Daesh-held buildings in Raqqa, while Tornados and Typhoons destroyed a car-bomb, and four terrorist strongpoints in Mosul…On Wednesday 21 June, a pair of Typhoons assisted Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa. Two buildings held by extremist fighters were hit with Paveway IVs.