Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS552

Incident date

March 6, 2017

Location

كديران, Kdeiran, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.877429, 38.719676 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between six and 12 civilians were reported to have died in Coalition airstrikes on the town of Kdeiran in western Raqqah.

According to the Syrian Observatory, “four persons were killed including a man and his son in bombing by warplanes believed to belong to the international coalition on areas in Kdiaran town west of al-Raqqah city.” The Syrian Network also placed the toll at four.

Step News initially reported four deaths though later raised its estimate to 12, noting “A new massacre committed by the international coalition in the countryside of Raqqa-west, on Monday 6th March, as our correspondent reported that coalition warplanes targeted the town Kdeiran with several air strikes, killing 12 civilians as a primary outcome, including women and children and injuring dozens of civilian casualties in addition to the destruction of several houses in the targeted town.” LCCSY was alone in not specifying a perpetrator.

 

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male was killed with one of his sons killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kdeiran (كديران), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.877429, 38.719676. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 12
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: local source speaking to Shamna in al Raqqa - international coalition planes raid Kdeiran west of Raqqa killing at least 4 civilians and injuring others.
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 Kdeiran (Raqqah), Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Oct 27, 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 March 5th-March 6th the Coalition stated: “Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two vehicles; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.“

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

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

Opération Chammal En Syrie le recul de Daech se poursuit. Après avoir dû se retirer d’Al Bab la semaine passée, l’organisation terroriste a perdu cette semaine le contrôle de la ville de Palmyre, tandis que la manœuvre d’isolement de Raqqah au Nord de l’Euphrate est sur le point de s’achever. En Irak, Daech tente d’entretenir l’insécurité en poursuivant sa campagne d’actions asymétriques, en particulier dans l’Anbar, dans une logique de dispersion des forces engagées contre elle. En périphérie de Mossoul Ouest, la manœuvre d’encerclement menée par les forces de sécurité irakiennes (FSI) progresse dans sa partie occidentale. Les combats qui ont lieu depuis le début de la semaine autour de la localité de Badush au Nord-Ouest de la ville en sont la conséquence. Dans la partie sud de Mossoul Ouest, les FSI poursuivent également leur progression dans le centre urbain et se trouvent désormais aux portes du centre historique. Avançant toujours le long du Tigre depuis l’aéroport, les combattants de la police fédérale et de l’ICTS sécurisent méthodiquement chaque quartier, faisant face à une défense féroce des combattants terroristes. Dans le même temps, Daech maintient ses actions de harcèlement contre la partie orientale de Mossoul, en réalisant des tirs de mortiers sporadiques et aveugles. Appui aérien au Levant Cette semaine, les aéronefs ont réalisé 29 sorties aériennes dont 26 de reconnaissance armée ou d’appui au sol (CAS), et 3 de recueil de renseignement. 9 frappes ont été réalisées par les avions français, elles ont permis la destruction de 12 objectifs. En Irak, les 8 frappes ont toutes été réalisées en appui des opérations sur Mossoul. Elles s’inscrivent dans le cadre de l’appui des troupes irakiennes engagées dans l’offensive visant à reprendre la partie ouest de Mossoul. Elles ont ciblé des positions de mortier et des positions défensives dans la ville de Mossoul elle-même, ainsi que dans la périphérie de Badush. En Syrie, dans la région de Raqqah, une patrouille de Rafale a été engagée en mission d’appui des troupes au sol pour neutraliser des combattants de Daech menant une attaque contre des forces démocratiques syriennes. Appui feu – Task Force Wagram Cette semaine, l’effort du détachement de la Task Force (TF) Wagram, désormais regroupée sur une même emprise au nord de Mossoul, s’est intensifié. Les appuis ont marqué l’effort au profit des troupes engagées au sol dans la région de Badush. 53 missions ont été réalisées cette semaine. Elles comprennent 22 actions de neutralisation, destruction ou harcèlement visant soit à détruire des positions défensives adverses, soit à empêcher tout mouvement des groupes de combattants de Daech. 31 missions d’éclairement ont également été effectuées afin d’entraver les tentatives d’infiltration de la part de groupes de combattants terroristes cherchant à mener des actions de harcèlement nocturne contre les FSI.’

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Monday 6 March – Typhoons demolished a Daesh headquarters in eastern Syria, while Tornados struck terrorist supply routes within Mosul…Careful intelligence analysis allowed the Coalition to pinpoint the location of a Daesh headquarters at a compound in a remote area of eastern Syria. Two Typhoons were dispatched from RAF Akrotiri on Monday 6 March, targeting the two key buildings within the compound. Both were demolished by Paveway IV guided bombs. Tornados meanwhile supported Iraqi ground operations in western Mosul by using Paveway IVs to strike three key routes within the city, helping to prevent Daesh from sending reinforcements or truck-bombs to areas being successfully liberated by the Iraqi troops.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 12
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]