Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS488

Incident date

February 13, 2017

Location

جسر المغلة, Al Maghla bridge, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.799722, 39.496667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a single source, two civilian workers died when the bridge they were repairing was targeted n a Coalition airstrike.

Smart News reported that “Two workers were killed and others wounded on Monday, after bombing by aircraft from the international coalition at Al Maghla bridge during maintenance work in the city of Raqqa, according to reports from local sources…. The sources added that the raids resulted in killing two workers and moderately wounding three others, in addition to equipment damage.”

The Coalition has confirmed striking a bridge at Raqqa that day. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered also noted the strike, though made no mention oif civilian casualties.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ 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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Maghla Bridge (Raqqah), Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 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 February 12th-13th 2017 the Coalition reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, 13 strikes engaged eight ISIL tactical units; destroyed eight fighting positions and a vehicle; and damaged four supply routes.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]