Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS366

Incident date

November 8, 2016

Location

الكالطة, Qaltah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.1795231, 39.0142536 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children were reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on a tractor at Qaltah. The source appeared to be ISIL media arm Al A’amaq.

Al Jazeera said five civilians in total died – though suggested some of the deaths occured elsewhere. Qassioun stated that “fighter jets of the international coalition launched a massive air raid on the village of Al Kalta in the countryside of northern Raqqa, which resulted in the killing of five civilians and wounded dozens, including women and children.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A still from an Al A'Amaq propaganda video showing the site of a reported Coalition strike at al Kalta which targeted a truck but also killed two children
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 Qaltah, 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 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.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]