Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS677

Incident date

April 9, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, Fardous, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and four were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqa’s Fardous neighbourhood, according to the Smart News Agency. However the Coalition did not report any strikes on the city that day.

According to Smart, “One of the sources pointed out that the [likely Coalition] aircraft targeted al-Fardous neighborhood in the city of Raqqa near the White Garden, killing two civilians and injuring four others. They were taken to al-Raqqa National Hospital, while the organization launched warning sirens in the city.”

No further details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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
    in the Fardous neighborhood of 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. (1306)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 9th-10th: the Coalition did not report any strikes near Raqqa.

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

  • April 9, #CJTFOIR conducted 27 strikes consisting of 89 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria & Iraq (via CJFFOIR)

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]