Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS693

Incident date

April 14, 2017

Location

حمرة غانم, Hamra Ghanem, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9375, 39.144167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently reported the death of one civilians “as a result of a raid by international coalition aircraft on the town of Hamra Ghanem”.

Local news source Sharaf News also reported a few days later thatActivists from Raqqa said that international coalition aircraft targeted the house of Bashir Yusuf al-Sultan in the village of Hamra Ghanem in the eastern Raqqa, where four martyrs and many wounded civilians were killed, with the destruction of the targeted house.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nora Hamoud al-Jazaa
Age unknown killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hamra Ghanem (حمرة غانم), east of Raqqa. The coordinates for Hamra Ghanem are: 35.9375, 39.144167.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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 (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 Hamra Ghanem, 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. (1328)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 13th-14th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqa, four strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions. Near Tabqah, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed a fighting position, and damaged a supply route.“

For April 14th – 15th: the Coalition reported “Near Raqqa, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions and a weapons cache. Near Tabqa, one strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]