Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1336

Incident date

August 6, 2017

Location

حي الاماسي, Al Amassi, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.95268, 39.01109 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two adult male civilians and up to two children were killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on their home in Raqqa’s al Amassi neighbourhood, local media reported.

In February 2019, the Coalition accepted responsibility for the event, noting: “Coalition aircraft engaged an ISIS headquarters multistory building. Regrettably, four civilians were unintentionally killed and two civilians were injured as a result of the explosion.”

Sources noted that Ahmed Ali Obaid Al-Taha’s wife, Hayat Muhammad Obeid al-Taha, died in an earlier casualty event on July 25th, listed on the July 2017 civilian casualty page as event S1117.

According to Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), Ahmed Ali Obaid Al-Taha’s son, Samer, was also seriously injured. Subsequent reports by RBSS were somewhat confused: one said that Samer had died, while another called for people to post information about his whereabouts, thereby implying that the boy was lost and not confirmed dead.

Palmyra media centre added: “The child Samer Ahmad Al-Taha … No trace was found of him neither in the hospital nor among those who were pulled from under the ruins of the destroyed house …The international coalition killed his mother and father and his sister is clinically dead.”

The sister was named by Palmyra revolution coordination committee as Ghazal, and this source said that she had died. Ahmad Al Shibli also said that she had been killed.

The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Ali Obaid Al – Taha
Adult male killed
Hussein Ali Obaid Al-Taha
Adult male brothers killed
Samer Ahmed Ali Obaid Al – Taha
Child male son of Ahmed Ali Obaid Al – Taha killed
Ghazal Ahmed Ali Obaid Al – Taha
Child female daughter of Ahmed Ali Obaid Al – Taha killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourbood or street of Al Amassi (الاماسي) in Raqqa (الرقة). The coordinates for this neighbourhood are: 35.953492, 39.011271.  Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest neighbourhood/area at 35.953302, 39.01131  

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Ahmed Ali Obeid al-Taha, killed with up to two of his children in an alleged Coalition raid on their home, August 6th 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Ghazal, killed with her father and brother in an alleged Coalition raid on their home, August 6th 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Samer Ahmad Al-Taha, killed with his father and sister in an alleged Coalition raid on their home, August 6th 2017. (via Palmyra media centre)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    4
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    2
  • Stated location
    near Raqqa, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37S EV010787
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 28, 2019
  • August 06, 2017, near Raqqa, Syria, via Airwars report. Coalition aircraft engaged an ISIS headquarters multistory building. Regrettably, four civilians were unintentionally killed and two civilians were injured as a result of the explosion.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 6th-7th: “Near Raqqah, 24 strikes engaged 11 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 30 fighting positions, two vehicles, two command and control nodes, two mortar systems, a tunnel, a heavy machine gun, an IED facility, and a VBIED facility; and damaged six fighting positions.” It additionally reporeted that “On Aug. 6, near Raqqah, Syria, 12 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed six fighting positions, a mortar system, an anti-air artillery system, and a VBIED.” And that “On Aug. 6, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike destroyed 10 ISIS fighting positions and two mortar systems.”

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
    3 – 4
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (13) [ collapse]