Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1334

Incident date

August 5, 2017

Location

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 civilian was reported killed by multiple local sources. The cause of death was somewhat conflicted.

Seven of the eleven sources attribute the attack to a landmine, whilst others cited the use of artillery. Airwars understands that only the US-led Coalition have access to artillery in Raqqa.

In a post from Ar Raqqa Al a’ahyla the so-called Islamic State organisation was alleged responsible. It suggested that the organisation planted a landmine which exploded, resulting in Hamoud Rashid Dandoush’s death.

The Raqqa Media Center however blame the US-Coalition and reported that he was killed “as a result of the artillery bombardment of the city of Al-Raqqa”.

A post from Amer Alywy on the Documentary of Victims of Ar Raqqa Facebook group claimed that Hamoud Rashid Dandoush was killed in his own residence due to “shelling”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hamoud Rashid Dandoush
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident only mention the city of Raqqa (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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Hamoud Rashid al-Dandoush, reportedly killed in Raqqa on August 5th 2017, though sources were conflicted as to how he died. (via Amer Alywy in Documentary of victims of Ar Raqqa)
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 information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV008784
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 31, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 5th-6th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 23 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed 19 fighting positions, five ISIS-held buildings, three IED factories, an ISIS communications tower and a UAS launch site.” It additionally reported that “On Aug. 5, near Raqqah, Syria, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed four fighting positions and a heavy machine gun.”

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • For August 3rd-9th, France report 1 strike in Iraq and 1 in Syria, along with 9 artillery strikes in Mosul. (via EtatMajorFR)

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]