Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS656

Incident date

April 2, 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

One or two civilians died and up to five others others were injured in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqa, according to local sources.

Smart News Agency reported that “likely” Coalition strikes killed two civilians and injured another five, in addition to killing one member of IS and wounding two more.

Smart reported “a local source said that the planes carried out three raids on Al Fouroussiya Hotel, near the Faculty of Arts, and Al Thakana neighbourhood in the city of Al-Raqqa”.

Albosleh and Mepanorama (both pro-regime sources) produced identical reports which are very similar to Smart.

The Syrian Observatory reported the death of one non-combatant and injury of “others”, though it didn’t say who was responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Raqqah (الرقة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.9505639, 39.0094148. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 28, 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 this strike. (1274)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 1st – April 2nd, the Coalition reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed eight barges and five fighting positions; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”
For April 2nd-3rd, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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]