Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS1620a

Location

Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.953579, 39.012285
Accuracy: Within 100m (via Coalition)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

The Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality” reported on an incident previously unidentified by Airwars.

An uncle and nephew were killed by an alleged Coalition airstrike which hit them whilst they were on a motorbike. The airstrike occurred between 3 and 4pm, and there were no reported injured civilians.

According to the brother of the victim, Abdelmin’am, in a testimony he gave to Amnesty researchers, “My brother was going on an errand with my sister’s son; they were riding a small motorbike and were both killed in a coalition strike. I don’t know what was the target, and they could not know either.”

In July 2019 the Coalition announced that it had assessed this allegation of civilian harm to be non-credible. Their monthly civilian casualty report noted: “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.”

Victims

Family members (2)

22 years old male son of sister of Mahmoud killed
55 years old male killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Civilians reported killed
2
2 Men

Geolocation Notes

Location reported by Amnesty during field research “Jerdawi shop (sajjad shop) on Tal Abyad Street cross with Amassi Street.”

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
Reason for non-credible assessment
No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
Civilian deaths conceded
None
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
in Raqqa, Syria
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
37SEV011788
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
Near Ar Raqqah, 24 strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, damaged nine fighting positions, destroyed 11 fighting positions, 12 vehicles, two communication nodes and one ISIS supply route.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2019-07-26
Original Source
Oct. 11, 2017, in Raqqa, Syria, via Amnesty International report. After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.