Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS394

Incident date

November 25, 2016

Location

قرطبة, Qortoba, Raqqa, Syria

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were killed in a reported afternoon airstrike on Qortoba village, as a heavy Coalition/ SDF campaign against ISIL continued.

Al A’Amaq Media reported two deaths initially. According to Syria News Desk, “Coalition aircraft bombed three houses in the centre of Qahtaniyah, killing four civilians including a child, and injuring more than 14 others, including six dangerous situations, were taken by residents to the National hospital of Raqqa in addition to the destruction of two houses completely and damaging three others nearby houses and material damage to other large property.”

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered named the civilian fatalities.

In its February 2017 casualty report, the Coalition noted that “Nov. 25, 2016, near Ar Raqqah, Syria, via self-report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that no civilians were harmed in this strike..” However Airwars continues to assess this as a likely event.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed
Saleh Mohammad Al Moheissan
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–14
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Jamal al Hamad Al Majil (via Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently)
  • Mohammad al Yassin (via RBSS)
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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Qortoba, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017
  • The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 23rd-24th 2016 the Coalition reported that “Near Ar Raqqah, four strikes engaged two ISIL headquarters buildings; and destroyed eight oil storage tanks, five oil tanker trucks, and an oil refinement system. Near Ayn Isa, one strike destroyed a vehicle storage facility.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–14
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]