Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS630

Incident date

March 27, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were killed and nine injured in Coalition strikes on Raqqa, according to a single source.

According to Smart News, “Several sources told Smart Monday night that a number of civilians and elements of the Islamic State were killed and wounded by an aerial bombardment and by artillery of the International Coalition on the cities of Raqqa and Tabaqa, northern Syria. A medical source from the city of Raqqa reported that five civilians were killed and nine others were wounded by raids carried out by coalition aircraft.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ 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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV008784
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 27, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For March 26th-27th, the Coalition reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, nine strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed a well head, a heavy transport equipment piece, a vehicle, an oil storage tank, an ISIS headquarters, a VBIED, and a fighting position; and damaged two supply routes.”
For March 27th-28th, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqa, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; and destroyed eight barges, a vehicle, a front-end loader, and a truck and trailer."

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

"Monday 27 March – Typhoons supported operations in Mosul, while Tornados eliminated a mortar team in eastern Syria…Armed reconnaissance missions continued over the weekend, gathering intelligence on Daesh positions in Syria and Iraq. On Monday 27 March, Typhoons again patrolled over Mosul, and used one Paveway IV against a building from which Daesh fighters were continuing to engage Iraqi forces. Over eastern Syria, two Tornados attacked a building in a remote area south of Hasakah, from which a Daesh mortar team was operating against Syrian Democratic Forces."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]