Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS698

Incident date

April 16, 2017

Location

كبش, Kabish, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.1308644, 38.7842273 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one man died – along with perhaps two families – in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Kabish, according to local sources.

One man was named as a victim of a Coalition strike by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently. RFS Media put the death toll at two – also blaming the Coalition.

However according to @SY-Reporter, two families died in a Coalition strike.

In January 2019, the Coalition announced that it had classed the event as non credible due to a lack of available evidence of civilian harm: “After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Ramadan Al-Bush
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kabish (كبش), Raqqa governorate, for which the coordinates are: 36.1308644, 38.7842273.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ 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
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Stated location
    near Kabish, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV805984
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 31, 2019
  • Apr. 16, 2017, near Kabish, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 15th – 16th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, six strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed an ISIS bridge, and damaged an ISIS supply route. Near Tabqah, 11 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units, destroyed seven fighting positions and an ISIS vehicle.”

For April 16th – 17th: the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed four fighting positions and a mortar system. Near Tabqah, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and suppressed three ISIS tactical units.“

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Saturday 15 April – Typhoons attacked a Daesh-held building west of Raqqa, while Tornados assisted Iraqi forces inside western Mosul…On Saturday, a further Tornado patrol supported Iraqi forces engaged in a firefight with Daesh positioned in a large building in western Mosul. Two Paveway IVs silenced the terrorist fire. Meanwhile, Typhoons continued their support for the SDF as they pushed east from Tabqah towards Raqqa, bombing a terrorist-held building.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]