Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS434

Incident date

January 9, 2017

Location

حرملة, Harmala, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.2059144, 38.6696434 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were reported killed and two others injured following an alleged Coalition strike on Harmala.

The Shaam News Network reported that “international coalition planes launched air raids near Harmala village north west of Raqqa which led to the deaths of four martyrs and a number of wounded.”

All other sources, including the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Syrian Press Center and Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, also attributed the incident to the Coalition – and put the death toll at four.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male From the Al-Bo’asi tribe killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Martyrdom of Thamer Al-Sahel from Al-Bo’asi tribe due to coalition warplanes shelling in a mosque in Harmala west of Ain Essa.
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 Harmala (Raqqah), Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDA7030306838
    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 January 8th-9th, the Coalition reported that “Near Ar Raqqah, 15 strikes [1 British] engaged five ISIL tactical units; destroyed six oil refinement stills, three supply caches, two bridges, two artillery systems, a VBIED, a bulldozer, a UAV, an IED, a dump truck, a pontoon bridge, a tank, and an armored vehicle; and damaged a supply route. Near Ayn Isa, one strike destroyed a repeater station.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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]