Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS1590a

Incident date

October 1–5, 2017

Location

Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.96345, 39.00068 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality”, between 11 and 23 civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrike in Raqqa. Although Airwars assesses single sourced incidents as “weak”, researchers have assessed this incident “fair” due to the depth of material provided by Amnesty.

The report summarised that “A coalition airstrike destroyed a one-storey house close to the railway line killing five children and their parents and four neighbours.”

The house was near Sharia al Qitar (close to the railway line – hence then name “Railway Street”) and had a courtyard, according to the field notes.

Iman, Zuhair’s daughter, survived the strike. She said IS fighters were two streets over, on Sharia al Qitar itself. Civilians were prohibited from going there as it was the siege line. She went on to tell Amnesty in a testimony that “As well as my family and the four neighbours, the strike also killed a Kurdish family of 12. They were displaced and I don’t know their names. They were mostly women and children.”

The Kurdish family were allegedly displaced people; their names are unknown but they were all women and children. Iman saw two young children pulled from the rubble.

In their monthly civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition has indicated that the credibility of this civilian harm allegation is in the process of being assessed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Zuhair Juma al Khalaf
60 or older years old male killed
Rabaa’
30-35 years old female Zuhair's wife killed
Mohannad
6 years old male Zuhair’s & Rabaa’s son killed
Abir
5 years old female Zuhair’s & Rabaa’s daughter killed
Yasmine
3 years old female Zuhair’s & Rabaa’s daughter killed
Osama
10 years old male son of second wife killed
Amal
8 years old female daughter of second wife killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmad
Age unknown male neighbour killed
Maha
Adult female neighbour killed
Um Ahmad
Adult female neighbour killed
Unidentified girl
Child female neighbour killed

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

  • Before strike. (via Amnesty)

  • After strike. (via Amnesty)

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 23
  • (6 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Open incident
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Not yet assessed.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 23
  • (6 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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