Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS423

Incident date

December 30, 2016

Location

دبسي عفنان, Debsi Afnan, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8175348, 38.2162857 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least five civilians were killed and as many as 22 injured after Coalition aircraft allegedly bombed Debsi Afnan, a town 70km west of Raqqa city.

Raialyaom News reported that “seven were killed including 3 children and 22 wounded including women and children with some in critical condition, due to coalition warplane strikes in Debsi Afnan 70 km west of Raqqa.”

Another local source said that “five civilians were martyred inclining an elderly woman and a 4 year old child and 4 others were wounded.”

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event was presently assessed as ‘Not credible for Coalition caused civcas.’

A second review published in August 2017 asserted that “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–22
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • 5 civilians were martyred due to coalition warplanes shelling in Debsi Afnan.
  • 5 civilians were martyred due to coalition warplanes shelling in Debsi Afnan in the countryside of Raqqa.
  • Coalition warplanes target Debsi Afnan village in the western countryside of Raqqa and kills 5 civilians and a number were wounded.
  • 5 civilians martyred inclining an elderly woman and a 4 year old child and 4 others were wounded from Debsi Afnan village in Raqqa countryside due to warplanes shelling.
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 Debsi Afnan, 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 December 29th-30th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed a command and control node, a weapons cache, and a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–22
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (10) [ collapse]