Geolocation
Airwars assessment
A family of six including four children and their mother and father died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Mansoura.
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, Euphrates Post and the Shaam News Network reported that the strike hit the home of Abd al Aziz Barakat al Ahmad Al Faraj, killing his four children and his wife. Mr al Faraj also later reportedly died of his injuries.
Smart News Agency put the death toll higher, at seven, including the family of five, adding that three others were wounded.
In its April report the Syrian Network noted: “fixed wing international coalition forces warplanes fired a number of missiles at a residential house in al mansoura town in the western suburbs of al raqqa governorate which resulted in the killing of six civilians [four children and their parents] the town is under the control of ISIS.”
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently names the victims.
In September 2017, Human Rights Watch published the results of a field study relating to the event. This concluded that six family members died: “Relatives living nearby told Human Rights Watch that on March 30 at around 11:15 p.m. an airstrike hit the house of Abdel Aziz al-Faraj, killing him and his family. The relatives said that the family was not affiliated with ISIS and that ISIS was not present in the immediate vicinity of the house. They said that ISIS was, however, digging tunnels nearby.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (6)
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Mansoura (المنصورة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.83917, 38.74288. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (34) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]
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This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
GRAPHIC: the children of Abd al Aziz al Barakat al Ahmad al Faraj who were killed in an alleged Coalition strike on Mansoura, March 30th (via RBSS) -
Rubble of a residential house that local residents said was attacked in a coalition airstrike on March 30, 2017, killing six civilians. © 2017 Ole Solvang/Human Rights Watch
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Aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike that targeted a home in the town of Mansoura (image from Zaman Al Wasl, posted on March 30th, 2017).
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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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
For March 29th-30th the Coalition noted: “Near Ar Raqqah, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; and destroyed five oil tanker trucks, three vehicles, two tractors, an oil trailer, and a tactical vehicle. Near Tabqah, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; and destroyed two fighting positions, a vehicle, and a tactical vehicle.“
For March 30th-31st, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a front-end loader."