Geolocation
Airwars assessment
One woman died and several other civilians were wounded in an incident in Al Rahiyat, according to local media – though it was unclear whether the Coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces or ISIL were responsible.
Shaam News Network was the only source that named the Coalition as the culprit. Step News Agency instead blamed artillery shelling for a woman’s death and the injury of several other civilians. But Qasioun reported that a woman was killed by an ISIL sniper, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an ISIL bomb was responsible for a woman’s death.
Hope-fm-radio also reported “ISIL mortars”, while according to Raqqa24, “Syria Democratic Forces targeted a gathering of displaced people”.
Al Raqqa Truth named the victim but did not mention the culprit.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Rahiat (الرحيات), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.08, 39.05917. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (7) [ collapse]
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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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
For April 23rd - 24th the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, seven strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, a heavy machine gun, a tactical vehicle, and an ISIS well head"
For April 24th - 25th the Colaition reported: "Near Tabqah, seven strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed three ISIS command and control nodes, a fighting position, and a heavy machine gun; and suppressed two ISIS tactical units"
The Coaliton later reported: "On April 24, near Raqqah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three ISIS vehicles. On April 24, near Tabqah, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; and destroyed two fighting positions and a rocket-propelled grenade team."