Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1542

Incident date

September 28, 2017

Location

الرقة‎ , Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilian men died in Raqqah city following alleged US-led Coalition airstrikes, local sources said.

Mahmoud Al Rahim, Mohammed Ahmed Al Yahya and Ayman Ahmed Al Yahya were named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently and Raqqa Media Office. There is limited information available, although both sources blamed the US-led Coalition.

@7UFCmSxd0IUBffH also named the victims, reporting on October 13th that they died “a few days ago”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mahmoud Al Rahim
Adult male killed
Mohammed Ahmed Al Yahya
Adult male killed
Ayman Ahmed Al Yahya
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Raqqa (الرقة‎), for which the 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
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Images of the three alleged victims
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
  • Jun 28, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For September 27th – 28th the Coalition reported “Near Raqqah, 33 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 23 fighting positions, a vehicle, and an ISIS headquarters; and suppressed three ISIS tactical units.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]