Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS461

Incident date

January 26, 2017

Location

هنيدة, Hunaida, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.83234, 38.69938 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reported killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike near Hunaida.

According to the Syrian Observatory, “Explosions were heard in the western countryside of Al-Raqqah city, caused by bombing by warplanes believed to belong to the international coalition on an oil refinery area in Hunaida area at the countryside of al-Tabaqa, which injured several persons with confirmed information about the death of three due to the bombing.”

Step News said three civilians were slain when a temporary refinery in the village was targeted. In its daily report the Coalition confirmed targeting “oil refinement stills.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

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 Hunaida (Raqqah), Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV7284865394
    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 25th-26th the Coalition publicly noted: “Near Ar Raqqah, 12 strikes [1 British] engaged eight ISIL tactical units and destroyed nine fighting positions, three tactical vehicles, two vehicles, a tunnel, a bunker, and an ISIL checkpoint.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]