Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Between one and five civilians died in an airstrike on Al Sweidiya Kabira according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the Coalition or “PKK militants” were responsible.
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered reported: “The international coalition launched three air raids on the village of al Sweidiya kabira in the northern Tabaqa countryside targeting the mosque in the village and the house of a civilian which led to the martyrdom of Abd al Rahman Al Nijm and the fall of several wounded including children.” Shaam News Network also said that Coalition warplanes launched raids killing one civilian and wounding a number. And the Syrian Observatory reported that “warplanes believed to belong to the international Coalition” killed one civilian.
But Al Raed La Yakzub Ahlahu [IS-propaganda] said that “five people were killed following shelling by PKK Militants.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (7) [ collapse]
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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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
For January 18th-19th the Coalition publicly noted: “Near Ar Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units, six fighting positions, a house borne IED, a tactical vehicle, a checkpoint, and two tunnels; suppressed four ISIL tactical units; and damaged a supply route.”