Geolocation
Airwars assessment
One civilian male died in Raqqa’s Al Thaakan neigbourhood – though it was unclear whether Coalition artillery or an SDF mortar were to blame.
Ahmad Al Rfaai posted in the on Documentary of victims of Ar Raqqa Facebook group, saying that Haj Ahmad Lyla Salim al-Ali was his grandfather and died in his home after it was struck by a mortar on July 28th.
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently blamed shelling by the SDF in the Al Thkakana/Barracks area for the man’s death, while Al Hasaka Rasd reported that he died following an artillery bombardment by “Kurdish militias” on the Barracks neighbourhood.
While Airwars understands that only the Coalition has access to artillery in Raqqa, the SDF are reportedly using mortars, meaning that they could well be responsible for the victim’s death.
In February 2019, the Coalition assessed this event to be non-credible. Their report noted: “After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (3) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]
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Haj Ahmad Lyla Salim al-Ali, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqa, 28th July 2017. (via Ahmad Al Rfaai posted on Documentary of victims of Ar Raqqa group)
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Haj Ahmad Lyla Salim al-Ali, killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqa, 28th July 2017. (via Ahmad Al Rfaai posted on Documentary of victims of Ar Raqqa group)
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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July 28, 2017, near al-Thakana neighborhood, Raqqah, Syria via Airwars report. After review of all available strike records it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.
Original strike reports
For July 28th-29th: “Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units; destroyed eight fighting positions, an artillery system, and a vehicle; and suppressed a fighting position.” It additionally reported that “On July 28, near Raqqah, Syria, 16 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units, destroyed an anti-air artillery system, and damaged seven fighting positions.”
‘Friday 28 July – a Tornado and Typhoon pair struck a Daesh position in Raqqa…Another mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair assisted the SDF in Raqqa on Friday 28 July, and a Paveway IV was used to destroy a terrorist position.’