Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS129

Incident date

September 21, 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 adult male named as Muhammad Khalifa al Hasan – a civil engineer from Bokros in Deir Ezzor – was allegedly killed in a Coalition strike according to some sources. Others said he had died in a regime attack.

A Facebook page covering the locality of Deir Ezzor, where the victim is from, noted that Mr al Hasan “is an engineer with a Masters from the university of Kyoto in Japan and he has degrees and experience from Holland.”

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 21, 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. 2847/CS129 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:

Adult male A civil engineer from Bokros in Deir Ezzor, killed in Raqqa killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Raqqah (الرقة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.9505639, 39.0094148. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A tweet reporting the death of 'the engineer Mohammad Khalifa al Hassan from Bokros, Deir Ezzor' in alleged regime strikes on Raqqa city. [via: Justice for Life on 22nd September 2015]
  • Euphrates post tweets news of the death of Mohammad Khalifa Al Hassan in alleged coalition raids on the city of Raqqa. 22nd September 2015

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 21, 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. 2847/CS129 37SEV008785

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No publicly-reported Coalition strike between September 21st-23rd appeared to match this event.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (6) [ collapse]