Geolocation
Airwars assessment
One civilian died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Salhabiya and Gharbiya, according to local sources.
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently reported: “Coalition planes targeted trucks in the western village of Al Salhabiya, west of Raqqa, that were trying to open the road from Al Salhabiya to Al Raqqa after the flood of the al Ballikh channel, Balikh, killing the driver of a truck.”
According to All4Syria, a Coalition strike killed one man when “a bulldoze was targeted, killing the driver as he was trying to open the Salhibiya-Raqqa road after flooding of the Belikh Canal”.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the village of Salhabiya (سلحبية), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.95149, 38.78487. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (10) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
-
Flooded lands at Salhabiya. Locals said the Coalition killed a civilian who was trying to clear a road (via Raqqa is Being Slaughtered)
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
-
After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike. (1094)
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. Near Tabqah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit; and destroyed a vehicle and a UAV."