Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS385

Incident date

November 21, 2016

Location

مزرعة الأسدية, Masra'at al Assadiya, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.0091172, 39.018631

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were said to have been killed in a reported Coalition raid on Mazra’at al Assidiya.

The Syrian Network reported that “three civilians died due to International Coalition warplanes missiles fired on Mazra’a Al Asadeya village in Raqqa governorate northern suburbs, November 21, 2016.”

In what may be a linked incident, the Network also reported that the town’s secondary school was partially damaged in a Coalition attack.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ 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 Mazra’at Al Assadiya (Raqqah), Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV0166984927
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 2017
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 21st 2016 the Coalition reported that “Near Ar Raqqah, seven strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed 2 VBIEDs, an IED factory, two oil well heads and two oil tanker trucks.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]