Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS437

Incident date

January 11, 2017

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

Between two and four civilians including a child were alleged killed in a Coalition airstrike on Debsi Afnan, according to some local sources.

Al Natek reported that four non-combatants died in a Coalition strike. And the Syrian Network said “at least two civilians including a child died in International Coalition warplanes missiles fired on Debsi Afnan village.” According to Syria News Desk, “Three civilians were killed and 4 others injured when an international coalition plane targeted with a raid a car they were in on the Aleppo – Raqqa motorway near the town of Debsi Afnan which is under IS control in the western Raqqa countryside. The raid led to the burning of the car entirely.”

SY_reported put the death toll at four and said that a woman was also injured. They blamed the Coalition.

Smart News said that the Coalition targeted “a civilian car near Al-Qadesiya street which killed three civilians and wounded others.”

According to Raqqa Post, “Coalition warplanes carried out a raid in the village of Debsi Afnan, at Al-Qadesiya street near the stands for selling oil. Two people died: a 12-year-old boy and an old man.”

Arabstoday and Asrar7days also reported the death of the child and man, and pointed towards the Coalition.

However while both Step News and ISIL mentioned Coalition strikes on Debsi Afnan, neither mentioned civilian casualties.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition strike on a xxx in Debsi Afnan, Jan 11th (via Raqqa Post)
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 (Raqqah), Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV2933963917
    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 10th-11th 2017, the Coalition reported that “Near Ar Raqqah, five strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed a front-end loader, a VBIED, a fighting position, and a tunnel entrance. Near Ayn Isa, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed a vehicle, five fighting positions, a command and control node, a VBIED, and a heavy machine gun.”

Summary

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