Airwars assessment
As many as 24 civilians were killed in attacks – possibly carried out by both SDF and Coalition – according to local sources.
Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered initially reported 7 victims killed “in the international coalition raids and Kurdish militia artillery.” It later released an updated casualty assessment, counting 23 victims as victims of “a massacre committed by the international coalition.” RBSS identified 16.
Local Coordination Committees in Syria reported a lower total in the village of 9 and attributed their deaths to SDF forces. The Syrian Network also reported shelling, describing the incident as a “massacre.” The Syrian Observatory blamed the Coalition and put the final death toll at 20, including 9 women and 2 chidlren. It noted clashes in the area between the SDF and ISIL.It cited an eyewitness: ““We were sitting in our houses in the village of al-Haisha as we used to hear the sounds of the coalition warplanes flying over the town. After a few minutes the warplanes targeted the village with missiles leading to massive explosions, the inhabitants ran with their children into shelters, some of them just left their houses without knowing where to go when the coalition warplanes targeted them again leading to the death of one whole family.”
Step News Agency confirmed a total of 23 civilians killed, but claimed they were victims of both SDF artillery and Coalition aircraft “during the past three days.” Masar Press placed the final toll at 24 killed.
In a statement issued January 2nd 2017 the Coalition stated: “Nov. 8, 2016, near Al Heisha or Ayn Issa, Syria: Insufficient information provided or available to assess the credibility of the reported civilian casualties.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (5)
- Amouna ali al Habboud Age unknown female killed
- Ali Mohammad al Habboud Age unknown male killed
- Ammar Ayed al Habboud's son Age unknown male killed
- Ammar Ayed al Habboud's daughter Age unknown female killed
- Ayed Al Ali Al Habboud's daughter Age unknown female killed
Family members (3)
- Saliha Age unknown female Ali Khalaf's wife killed
- Ali Khalaf's son Age unknown male killed
- Ali Khalaf's daughter in law Age unknown female killed
Family members (3)
- Asfour Age unknown male Family name unknown killed
- Asfour's wife Age unknown female Family name unknown killed
- Asfour's daughter Age unknown female Family name unknown killed
- Ali Al Jabli Age unknown male killed
- Lutfi al Ali al Hussein Age unknown male killed
- Fidda Age unknown female Wife of Ali Mahmoud killed
- Aoush Age unknown female Family name unknown killed
- Yusuf al Jassem al Haj Arouda Age unknown male killed
Summary
Sources (25) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]
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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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Insufficient information provided or available to assess the credibility of the reported civilian casualties.
Original strike reports
For November 7th-8th, the Coalition reported no strikes near Raqqa but reported “Near Ayn Isa, 15 strikes engaged seven ISIL tactical units, destroyed five fighting positions, three vehicles, two bridges, an artillery system, and damaged three supply routes.”