Airwars assessment
One civilian was killed and 10 others injured following an alleged Coalition airstrike on a transport bus in the Manbij countryside, according to local sources.
Shaam News reported: “Battles are still raging between the SDF and IS in which people were killed on both sides amidst intense coalition raids on the eastern and southern entrances of the city of Manbij. The raids caused the death of one civilian and others were wounded.“
The main source appeared to be the Daesh news agency Al A’Maq. Manbij News reported: “Al A’maq agency: one person killed and ten others injured including women and children as a result of an american raid on a transport convoy inside the city of #Manbij in the #Aleppo countryside.” And Allies of the Islamic Caliphate noted: “One person killed and ten others injured including women and children as a result of an american raid on a transport convoy inside the city of Manbij in the Aleppo countryside.”
In its May 2017 casualty report, the Coalition appeared to reject involvement in any event in Manbij – though cited the previous day: “June 18, 2016, near Manbij, Syria, via NGO report: No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (5) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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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No Coalition strikes were conducted on that day in the geographic area of the reported civilian casualties.
Original strike reports
For 18th-19th June, the Coalition reported:“Near Mar’a, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL heavy machine gun“.