Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS360

Incident date

November 6, 2016

Location

لقطة, Lakta, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.6265496, 38.9509964 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least 7 civilians were killed by by a Coalition airstrike, according to an ISIL-controlled outlet.

ISIL-controlled Al A’amaq reported that “international coalition planes” targeted two homes in Lakta, “and killed at least seven civilians.”

Thus far, Al A’amaq is the only source that references this incident specifically. However, other monitors and outlets, including the Syrian Observatory and Bas News reported heavy fighting in the area involving Kurdish/SDF forces and ISIL.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

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.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Lakta, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 5th-6th, the Coalition reported “Near Ayn Isa, seven strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units and destroyed a vehicle and four fighting positions” and “Near Ar Raqqah, one strike engaged oil processing equipment.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]