Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1080

Incident date

June 25, 2017

Location

رطلة, Ratlah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.882222, 39.048611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two adult civilians died and three children were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Ratlah village, according to local media.

Al Hassaka Rasd reported that the Coalition struck “the house of Abdul Aziz al-Khamri in Ratlah”. It reported that two civilians died and “three children were slightly injured by the attack”.

The victims were also named by Al Ragga Truth who attributed the event to the US-led Coalition.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Asa’ad Mohammed Al Ibrahim
Adult killed
Faisal Ismail Al Ibrahim
Adult killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

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 evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Ratla, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV043712
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 27, 2018
  • 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For June 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 25 strikes engaged 17 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 16 fighting positions, five vehicles, two ammo caches, a recoilless rifle, a supply cache, and an UAS launch site; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.” It additionally reported that “On June 24, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike destroyed two fighting positions.” And that “On June 24, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroyed 19 fighting positions and two vehicles, and damaged a weapons cache.”

For June 25th - 26th, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units and destroyed seven fighting positions, four vehicles and a tunnel system" and later reported "On June 25, near Raqqah, Syria, four strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions and an ISIS headquarters"

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Sunday 25 June – Tornados attacked a Daesh headquarters and mortar position in eastern Syria…Operations against groups of Daesh extremists outside of Raqqa and Mosul have also been maintained, and on Sunday 25 June, Tornados attacked a headquarters and mortar position in eastern Syria, some 55 miles north-east of Dayr az Zawr.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]