Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS563

Incident date

March 10, 2017

Location

حمرة بلاسم, Hamra Blassem, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.878056, 39.197222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians died and seven were injured in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the village of Hamra Blassem, according to local sources.

Halab Today, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered and the Syrian Network all blamed the Coalition, putting the death toll at four.

According to Syria News Desk – which also pointed to the Coalition – “the media opposition activist Ahmed Mazer, quoting civilian sources from the eastern countryside, said that the strikes caused the destruction of three houses and the burning of another, in addition to damage to other property.” Raqqa Post reported that “the main water supplying tank was destroyed in Hamra Blassem”. It also blamed the Coalition.

Four victims were named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently and the Violations Documentation Center.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Abdallah Ahmad al Hamid or al-Hadidi (via Raqqa Post)
  • Abd al Hamid Jijan (via RBSS)
  • The main water supplying tank was destroyed in Hamra Blassem in the eastern countryside of Raqqa (via Raqqa Post)
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 Hamra Balasem (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 9th-10th it noted: “Near Ar Raqqah, 13 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units; destroyed four vehicles, a fighting position, a tactical vehicle, an ISIS headquarters, and a VBIED factory; and damaged three supply routes.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]