Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS580

Incident date

March 16, 2017

Location

حي الثكنة, Al Thakana, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9478905, 39.0067863 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Shaam News Network reported: “A local source said that warplanes likely belonging to the coalition launched a raid on the Al Thakana neighborhood in Raqqa, near the Shariah Court, killing four civilians and two members of IS and wounding eight others, including one member of IS. The wounded were taken to the National Raqqa Hospital. A medical source reported that among the IS dead is one of the judges at the court who goes by the name of Abu Afra Al Jazrawi.”

Madar Daily placed the number of injured at six, while Orient News said five civilians died.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–7
  • 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 (4) [ 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 Thakana, 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 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.”
For March 16th-17th: "Near Ar Raqqah, eight strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, a vehicle, an ISIS-held building, and an oil refinement still."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–7
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]