Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS476

Incident date

February 6, 2017

Location

جبل منحار, Minhar Mountain, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9268687, 39.2716599

Airwars assessment

A number of people were reported killed – combatant status unknown – as a result of alleged Coalition airstrikes at Minhar mountain.

Smart News reported “dead and wounded in international coalition raids on Minhar mountain in eastern Raqqa countryside.” However, like other sources it did not offer any additional details.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: militant sources - a number of dead and wounded in raids by the international coalition on Minhar mountain in eastern raqqa countryside.
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 Minkhar Mountain (Raqqah), Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV2450775871
    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 February 5th-6th 2017 the Coalition reported that “Near Raqqah, six strikes destroyed three tunnels, an artillery system, a VBIED, and an ISIL headquarters.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]