Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS577

Incident date

March 15, 2017

Location

الثورة‎, Al Thani and Al Awwal, Al Tabaqa, Syria, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8489, 38.5499 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians died and up to five were injured in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the Al Thani and Awwal neighbourhoods of Al Tabaqa, according to local sources.

According to Smart News, “local sources reported the death of one civilian and wounding of others, on Wednesday evening, as a result of aerial bombardment likely carried out by the international Coalition on Al Tabaqa city (55 km west of Raqqa). “The source told Smart that the warplanes launched two raids on the first and second neighbourhoods, killing one civilian and wounding five others, who were taken to the National Hospital in the city.”

Micro Syria also blame the Coalition putting the death toll at one civilian.

Hewar.Khayma said that two were killed – though it didn’t identify who the warplane responsible belonged to. A tweet by Abdulbaset10 had noted “An American warplane B52 is flying over Tabaqa city now.”

The Coalition itself has denied conducting strikes in the geographic area that corresponded to claims of civilian harm on this date.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention Al Thani/Hurriyah (Second) neighbourhood (لحي الثاني) and Al Wahdah (First) neighbourhood (الحي الأول). The coordinates for Al Thani (لحي الثاني)are: 35.846667, 38.543889. The coordinates for Al Wahdah (الحي الأول) are: 35.850000, 38.553333. Airwars assessment uses a midpoint between the two: 35.8489, 38.5499.

  • Thani/Hurriyah (Second) (لحي الثاني) and Wahdah (First) (الحي الأول) neighbourhoods

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (7) [ 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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Thani and Al Awwal, Al Tabaqa, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 30, 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 14th-15th: “Near Ar Raqqah, eight strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed six fighting positions, two mortar systems, an ammunition cache, an ISIS-held building, and a weapons cache.”
For March 15th-16th: "Near Ar Raqqah, 13 strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed four fighting positions, an IED, a weapons storage facility, a storage facility, a VBIED facility, a UAV facility, a logistics facility, and an ammunition cache."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]