Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS650

Incident date

March 31, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, governor's building and other locations, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.945517, 39.011099 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Smart News Agency, two civilians were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqa.

Smart reported: “A local source told the Smart correspondent on Friday that 10 members of the Islamic State were killed and wounded, in addition to the wounding of two civilians by the bombing of warplanes likely to be the coalition on the city of Raqqa.”

“The source pointed out that the aircraft launched raids on the old cultural center, the governor’s building and the central bank in the city of Raqqa, killing four members of the organization and wounding six others, who were transferred to the National Hospital of Raqqa, according to a medical source, in addition to wounding two civilians.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ 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 Raqqah, 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 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.”
For March 31st-April 1st, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqah, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed a weapons storage facility and a VBIED; and damaged a bridge."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]