Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS730

Incident date

April 25, 2017

Location

زور شمر, Zor Shmar, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.7807781, 39.3691635 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Smart News Agency, reported that five civilians were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Zor Shmar.

No further details are currently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Zor Shmar 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. (1375)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 24th-25th, the Coalition 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.” For April 25th-26th, the Coalition reported no strikes at Raqqa though noted that “Near Tabqah, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; and destroyed four fighting positions and a fuel truck.“ The Coalition later reported: "Near Tabqah, on April 25, two strikes destroyed two fighting positions" and * "On April 24, near Tabqah, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; and destroyed two fighting positions and a rocket-propelled grenade team"

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]