Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS548

Location

الثورة‎, Tabaqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.833712, 38.546042
Accuracy: Within 100m (via Coalition)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S480)

Up to 12 civilians were reported killed and four injured in an air raid which most sources blamed on the Coalition.

According to MicroSyria “Warplanes carried out two raids in Tabaqa which is under the control of ISIL and killed 5 civilians, and wounded others including women and children who were taken to hospitals.” Smart News also placed the death toll at five, with four injured. Al Quds placed the toll higher at 12 killed, while the Syrian Observatory reported 10 deaths: “Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of at least 10 persons, including 5 citizen women and children under the age of 18.

Sources confirmed to the Observatory that they were recovered from under the rubble of buildings that were destroyed by warplanes believed to belong to the International Coalition in al-Tabaqa city which is located in the western countryside of al-Raqqah and controlled by the “Islamic State” organisation.

Other body parts were also found, but it is unknown whether they belong to other bodies or they are body pieces from the other corpses.”

In November 2017 the Coalition accepted responsibility for this allegation of civilian harm.

Their monthly civilian casualty report noted: “During a Coalition strike that destroyed a Daesh weapon storage facility, it was assessed that five civilians were unintentionally killed.”

In April 2019 the Coalition provided Airwars with the location for this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Confirmed
Civilians reported killed
5–12
2 Children, 2 Women
Civilians reported injured
4

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Known belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Credible / Substantiated
Given reason for civilian harm
No reason given
Civilian deaths conceded
5
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
near Al Tabqah, Syria
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
37SDV590656
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For March 2nd-March 3rd the Coalition publicly stated: “Near Ar Raqqah, one strike destroyed a weapons storage facility.”
French Military Strike Report
[France reports that in the last week it carried out 29 sorties and 9 strikes destroying 12 ISIL targets. In Iraq, all 8 strikes were carried out in support of operations in Mosul. They targeted mortar positions and defensive positions in the city as well as in the outskirts of Badush. In Syria, in the Raqqah region, a Rafale patrol was engaged on a ground support mission to neutralize ISIL fighters leading an attack against the SDF.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2017-11-30
Original Source
March 3, 2017, near Al Tabqah, Syria via Airwars report. During a Coalition strike that destroyed a Daesh weapon storage facility, it was assessed that five civilians were unintentionally killed.