Geolocation
Airwars assessment
One civilian was reported killed in the Al Dar’iya area of central Raqaa, in an alleged Coalition strike.
According to Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered, “International coalition planes yesterday targeted a weapons depot belonging to Daesh near Hod al Furat garage in Al Dar’iya area in the city centre of Raqqa which led to its total destruction and the martyrdom of one person from Ain Issa, along with the injury of Mohammad Al Shalash by shrapnel in his waist.“
However in a tweet the next day showing destruction at the site, the group simply reported “an airstrike.” No Coalition strikes have publicly been reported in the vicinity in this period, suggesting that either Russia or the Assad regime may instead have been responsible.
In their February 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Raqqah (الرقة), for which the generic 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
Sources (2) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]
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Aftermath of the airstrike (via RBSS)
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Translation: coalition aggression carries out three raids targeting the outskirts of Raqqa until now. (via Zeynisajda)
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Translation: American planes today openly worked with Russian and regime planes in bombing Palmyra and Al Raqqa. (via Zeynisajda)
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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March 24, 2016, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2927/CS193 37SEV008784
Original strike reports
No Coalition strikes have publicly been reported for Raqqa governorate between March 23rd-25th 2016.
Unknown Assessment:
Original strike reports
Update from UK MoD for Thursday 24 March: ‘Thursday 24 March – Tornados destroyed a mortar team that was firing on Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, while a Reaper destroyed a vehicle in eastern Syria…The following day [Thursday 24 March], Tornados were again active over Qayyarah; working in close cooperation with a coalition surveillance aircraft, they were able to successfully engage with a Paveway a Daesh mortar team that had opened fire on Kurdish forces. Across the border in eastern Syria, a Reaper used a Hellfire missile in a successful attack on a Daesh vehicle.’