Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS358

Incident date

November 4, 2016

Location

الحيوي, Al Hiyewi, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Airwars assessment

Three men were killed in airstrikes, according to a local source.

RBSS reported the deaths of three men “following air raids carried out by the international coalition.”

The Syrian Network and several outlets including Shaam News Network also reported the deaths of 3 civilians. Deir Ezzor and al Raqqa Legal Network shared the same three names as RBSS. LCCSY, however, put the number killed in Hiyewi at five.

A statement later issued by 100 Syrian writers provided more details: “Coalition aircraft had targeted on Friday a civilian car with machine guns, killing three people from Khaniz village near Raqqa, close to al Hiywei village.They were returning to their village after giving their condolences to a relative who was also killed by the International Coalition.”

The statement also called on the Coalition to “stop targeting civilians in the province of Raqqa and in all other areas, and open transparent investigation incidents into shelling of civilian sites by the international coalition and to hold accountable anyone found responsible.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Mahmoud al Kader, Mohammad al Rudaini, and Mohammad al Atra (via Raqqa is Being SlaughteredSilently)
  • Translation: 3 civilians killed following international coalition raids on the village of al Hiyewi in the northern Raqqa countryside on 4th November.
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.
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 3rd-4th, the Coalition reported “Near Ayn Isa, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]