Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1139

Incident date

July 1, 2017

Location

جامع الصفا, near the Al-Safa Mosque, Al Dar'ia, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.95455, 38.99913 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Sources reported that up to 18 civilians, including several women and children, were killed in alleged Coalition air and artillery strikes on the Al Dar’yra neighbourhood of Raqqa, near the Al Safa Mosque.

All 18 sources reporting the incident alleged that the Coalition was responsible.

A number of the dead were buried under the rubble and, at the time of reporting, only three bodies had been recovered. LCCSY noted “The death of a mother and three of her children and a family of seven people, in addition to other martyrs whose bodies are still under the rubble and dozens of wounded in air raids on al Dari’ya district in the city of #raqqa.”

Initially, based on local sources, Airwars researchers had determined that the incident took place on July 2nd. However, after reviewing an August 2017 report by Amnesty International, the date was amended.

According to the report, a family of five, two parents and three children were hit by an airstrike in their house near Makhbas al Tayar [Tayar bakery], not far from Madrasseh al Farouq [Farouq school] and the Old Mosque on July 1st around 5pm.

Amnesty International initially identified the family as an internally displaced family from Deir Ezzor.

Despite this information regarding the family, it has since been discovered by Amnesty International field researchers that the family died when an airstrike hit a three story building – Al-Hariri building – at 5pm. They were killed alongside civilians from two other families. The victims have therefore been removed from this case. Please see case CS1144 for more details.

As stated the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality”, reported that “Nine people – seven children, one woman and one man – from three families were killed when a three storey house was destroyed in an air strike.”

In a survivors testimony, the mother of the al Abdullah family, Rimal, stated in an emotional interview that “My entire family was taken from me, why? My four children and my husband; everything that was dear to me. Why did they kill them? I have nothing left to live for.”

A neighbour who witnessed the strike told Amnesty International that the nearest ISIS target was some 100 metres away.

The Coalition has reported that this event is currently under review as number 276 from the cases awaiting assessment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (8)

Fatima Juma Horan al Nashif
Age unknown female killed
Sou’ad Juma al Nashif
Age unknown female killed
Sham Mohammed Horan al Nashif
Age unknown female killed
Ahmed Hussien al Nashif
Adult male killed
Child of Ahmed Hussien al Nashif 1
Child killed
Child of Ahmed Hussien al Nashif 2
Child killed
Child of Ahmed Hussien al Nashif 3
Child killed
A’fran al Nashif
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 14
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV991779
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 26, 2018
  • 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

US-led Coalition

For July 1st-2nd, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, nine strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed seven fighting positions, a tactical vehicle, a front-end loader, a mortar system and a heavy machine gun.”

It additionally reported that “On July 1, near Raqqah, Syria, five strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units, destroyed a fighting position and a heavy machine gun, and suppressed 27 fighting positions.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Saturday 1 July – A Reaper eliminated a mortar team and Typhoons dealt with a heavy machine-gun, both in Raqqa. Tornados hit three Daesh positions in Mosul…A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft patrolled over Raqqa on Saturday 1 July. A mortar was reported firing on the SDF, and the Reaper’s crew spotted its muzzle flashes from a position concealed beneath a tree. A Hellfire missile destroyed the target. Typhoons were also active over the city, where they used a Paveway IV to silence a heavy machine-gun which was holding up an SDF advance.'

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 14
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]