Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS713

Incident date

April 21, 2017

Location

سوق الهال, Al Haal Market, Al Tabaqa, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.849444, 38.553333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including three children died and three more were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Haal Market in Tabaqa, according to local media.

Mohab Nasser, a journalist covering Al Tabaqa, named five victims of a Coalition raid.

The victims were also named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “5 civilians (3 children and their parents) were killed in International Coalition warplanes missiles fired on Al Haal Market in Al Tabaqa city”. Step News Agency also attributed the incident to the Coaltion. Zaman Alwasl referred specifically to “US raids” on the market.

Syria News Desk reported that five civilians died and seven were wounded “in two air strikes by the international coalition aircraft which targeted a house and a school near the market downtown Halal, which led to their destruction completely.”

In its July 2017 civilian casualty report, the Coalition appeared to deny involvement in the incident: “87. April 21, 2017, near Tabqah, Syria, via social media report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Khalil Zakariy
Adult male killed
The wife of Khalil Zakariya
Adult female killed
Hiba Khalil Zakariya
Child killed
Safa Khalil Zakariya
Child killed
Zakariya khalil Zakariya
Child killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Al Haal market (سوق الهال) in the city of Al Tabaqa (الطبقة‎, also known as Al Thawra الثورة‎). The coordinates for the market are: 35.849444, 38.553333.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of a reported Coalition strike on Al Haal market, Tabaqa, April 21st (via Euphrates Post)
  • Khalil Zakariya, killed in an alleged Coalition raid on Al Haal market, April 21st (via RBSS)
  • A street in Al Haal, Tabaqa following alleged Coalition strikes on April 21st (via RBSS Facebook)
  • Local people respond to alleged Coalition strikes on Al Haal, Tabaqa, April 21st (via RBSS Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of the alleged Coalition attacks on Al Haal, Tabaqa, April 21st (via RBSS Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian killed in alleged Coalition strikes on Al Haal, Tabaqa, April 21st (via RBSS Facebook)
  • Locals assist in search for victims of alleged Coalition attacks on Al Haal, Tabaqa, April 21st (via RBSS Facebook)
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
    market near Tabqah, 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. (1355)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 20th-21st, the Coalition reported: “Near Tabqah, eight strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions, a command and control node, and an ISIS staging area."

For April 21st-22nd, the Coalition reported: “Near Tabqah, eight strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, an ISIS vehicle and a command and control node.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

The RAF assisted Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Thursday 20 April. A pair of Typhoons struck a Daesh-held building to the north-west of Raqqa. The Typhoons then hit a Daesh mortar team hiding in a tunnel in the east of the country.’

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]