Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS710

Incident date

April 19, 2017

Location

حي الثاني, Second Neighbourhood, Al Tabaqa, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.846667, 38.543889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a second reported incidcent in the city for the day, up to four civilians including a doctor and three patients died and between two and five more were wounded in alleged Coalition airstrikes on Tabaqa, local media reported.

According to Syria Mirror, there were several Coalition raids on Tabaqa, “one of which was on a field hospital, resulting in the deaths and injuries of medical staff and the injury of a number of patients.” The source added that “activists reported the death of a doctor and the injury of two nurses as a result of the shelling, in addition to the wounding of a number of patients who were receiving treatment in the hospital, which was located in the second neighborhood in the city of Tabaqa”.

The Smart News Agency also pointed towards the Coalition, reporting the death “of a doctor and three patients, including a woman, and wounding five others, including two nurses.”

In their June 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Hurriya (الحرية) or the Second neighbourhood of the city of Tabaqa. The coordinates for the Hurriya neighbourhood are: 35.846667, 38.543889.

  • Imagery:
    © 2019 Google

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition airstrike on a field hospital in Tabaqa, April 19th (via Syria Mirror)
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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV588670
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020
  • Apr. 19, 2017, in Tabaqa, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3098/CS710 37SDV588670

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 18th-19th, the Coalition reported: “Near Tabqah, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

For April 19th-20th, the Coalition reported: “Near Tabqah, seven strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed five ISIS oil tankers, two command and control nodes, two fighting positions, one tunnel, one ISIS-held building, and one VBIED facility; and damaged a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]