Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1423

Incident date

August 27, 2017

Location

Fardous, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.954025, 39.006268 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five family members of a ‘Kazakh ISIS fighter’ (a woman, her two sons and one daughter) died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Fardous in Raqqa, according to local media.

Smart reported that “a local source told Smart that the family was made up of a woman and three of her children, and including a girl. The father, a member of the organisation [IS] was still fighting against the Syrian Democratic Forces (Qusd) on the city’s Traffic Street.”

According to Beirut Press and Smart, the fighter and his family were originally from Kazakhstan.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yusra Rabea al-Kaji
Age unknown named by RBSS who said said had “died a result of an earlier air strike by the coalition aircraft on Al-Fardous neighborhood in the city of Raqqa.” killed

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention Traffic Street (شارع المرور) and the Fardous or Paradice area (الفردوس). The coordinates for the midpoint of Fardous area (الفردوس) are: 35.954025, 39.006268. Airwars cannot geolocate Traffic Street (شارع المرور), however, is aware of an Hadika Al Mororia or Traffic Park (الحديقة المرورية).

  • What Airwars understands to be the midpoint of Fardous area (الفردوس) and the location of Hadika Al Mororia or Traffic Park (الحديقة المرورية). The boundary of Fardous (الفردوس) area is unclear.

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Destruction at Fardous, Raqqah, following an alleged Coalition strike, August 27th 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Destruction at Fardous, Raqqah, following an alleged Coalition strike, August 27th 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Destruction at Fardous, Raqqah, following an alleged Coalition strike, August 27th 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Destruction at Fardous, Raqqah, following an alleged Coalition strike, August 27th 2017. (via RBSS)
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

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 27th-28th the Coalition reported “Near Raqqah, 29 strikes engaged 13 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 19 fighting positions, five logistics nodes, three vehicles, three ISIS headquarters, two VBIEDs, and two command and control nodes.” It additionally reported that “On Aug. 27 near Raqqah, Syria, 24 strikes engaged 20 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 22 fighting positions, two anti-aircraft artillery systems, and two logistics nodes.” And that “On Aug. 27, near Raqqah, Syria, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Sunday 27 August – Typhoons and Tornados bombed ten Daesh positions in Raqqa.’

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • For Aug 23rd-29th, France report 8 strikes in Iraq and 11 strikes in Syria, plus 46 artillery missions in Tal Afar, Iraq.(@EtatMajorFR)

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (7) [ collapse]