Geolocation
Airwars assessment
A family of five from the city of Aleppo died in the Al Kahraba neighbourhood (the electricity neighbourhood) of Raqqa city, following alleged US-led Coalition strikes, local media reported.
Reports stated the strikes also targeted the juvenile prison area, trains street, Hazima roundabout and Al-Sakia street of Raqqa city, in addition to Al Kahraba.
Two of the four sources attributed the attack at al Kahraba to the US-led Coalition, the remaining two did not specify a culprit. Raqqa24 and RBSS referred to “heavy shelling and aerial bombardment” and “intensive air and artillery shelling”.
Airwars understands only the Coalition has access to artillery in Raqqa.
In May 2019 the Coalition announced that it had classed the civilian harm allegations as non-credible, noting “after a 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.
Summary
Sources (5) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]
Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Kahraba (حارة الكهرباء), in the city of Raqqa, for which the coordinates are: 35.963349, 39.013546.
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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Sept. 18, 2017, near al-Kahraba neighborhood, Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a 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
For September 17th – 18th the Coalition reported “Near Raqqah, 30 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units, destroyed 44 vehicles and 13 fighting positions, damaged 13 supply routes and a VBIED, and suppressed two fighting positions.” It additionally reported that “On Sept. 17, near Raqqah, Syria, seven strikes destroyed six ISIS fighting positions and a logistics node.” And that “On Sept. 17, near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes destroyed seven fighting positions.”
For September 19th - 20th, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, 30 strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units and destroyed 28 fighting positions, three vehicles, two ISIS communications infrastructure items and an ISIS headquarters" It later added "On Sept. 18, near Raqqah, Syria, 42 strikes engaged 23 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 23 fighting positions, eight vehicles, three VBIEDs, two ISIS UAS systems, and a command and control node; and suppressed four fighting positions" and "On Sept. 19, near Raqqah, Syria, 15 strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed 17 vehicles, 13 fighting positions, and suppressed a fighting position"