Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1340

Incident date

August 6, 2017

Location

شارع الوادي, Al Wadi street, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.948509, 39.01324 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One male civilian died in an alleged Coalition artillery strike on Raqqa’s Al Wadi street, according to local media.

Al hassaka Rasd, Al Raqqa Truth and other sources said he died in artillery shelling of Al Wadi street. Airwars understands that only the Coalition has access to artillery in Raqqa.

In April 2019 the Coalition announced that it had classed this allegation of civilian harm as non-credible, noting: “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:

Khudar Hussain al-Ali
38 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Al Wadi street (شارع الوادي) in Raqqa (الرقة‎), for which the coordinates are: 35.948509, 39.01324. 

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
    Other
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV011782
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Apr 25, 2019
  • Aug. 6, 2017, near 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

US-led Coalition

For August 6th-7th the Coalition reported: “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 reported 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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]