Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS448

Incident date

January 18, 2017

Location

الثورة‎, Tabaqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died and three others were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Tabaqa, according to local media.

Shaam News Network said that three civilians were wounded in a Coalition strike. LCCSY named Nour Riyad al Ayyash, from Deir Ezzor, as a victim. An Eye on Raqqa also named the victim and blamed the Coalition, as did Syria2011 and the Syrian Popular Movement. RBSS didn’t say who was responsible for his death.

According to the IS propaganda outlet Al Raed La Yakzub Ahlahu, the Coalition carried out three raids on Al Tabaqa that day.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male From Deir Ezzor killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: al tabaqa - the young man Nour Riyadh al Ayyash martyred following the air raids
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 evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Tabaqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 2017
  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For January 17th-18th the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Ar Raqqah, 10 strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units; destroyed a VBIED, a checkpoint, a command and control node; damaged two supply routes; and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Wednesday 18 January – Tornados destroyed a terrorist armed truck near Al Bab in Syria…Surveillance and strike operations have also been maintained against Daesh in Syria, and on Wednesday 18 January, Tornados conducted an armed reconnaissance patrol near Al Bab, where they used a Paveway IV to destroy an armed truck which Daesh had attempted to conceal in a vehicle shelter.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]