Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS128

Incident date

September 20, 2015

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An internally displaced person, a young girl named as Fatima Hasan Al Steif from Aleppo, was allegedly killed by a Coalition strike according to sources.

Fatima was said to be the daughter of Hasan Al Steif, and the family had been displaced from the town of Al Safira, in Aleppo province, to Raqaa.

In its monthly civilian harm assessment report for November 2019 – published on January 2nd 2020 – the Coalition classed this event as ‘non credible’, noting: ”September 20, 2015, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2846/CS128 37SEV008785″.

The Coalition provided geolocates, indicating to within 100 metres the area on which it had focused its assessment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child female Displaced from Al Safira, Aleppo. Killed in Raqqa. killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Fatma Hasan Steif (via al Safira News)
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
    in Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV008785
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 2, 2020
  • September 20, 2015, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2846/CS128 37SEV008785

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No publicly-reported Coalition strike between September 19th-21st appeared to match this event.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (5) [ collapse]