Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS471

Incident date

February 1, 2017

Location

القادسية, Al Qadissiya, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.982268, 39.213246 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, Al Ragga Truth, reported the death of three civilians in an alleged Coalition raid on Al Qadissiya farm, Raqqah.

In their June 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Al Ali Mustafa Al Thiab
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Hamid Al Jijan
Age unknown male killed
Ahmed Hamid Al-Hadid
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Qadissiya (القادسية), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.982268, 39.213246. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV982783
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020
  • Feb. 1, 2017, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3086/CS471 37SDV982783

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For Feb 1st-2nd, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqah, seven strikes destroyed an oil storage tank, an oil barrel, an oil inlet manifold, an oil separation tank, a VBIED, a tunnel, and a weapons storage facility; and damaged a supply route."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]