Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS732

Incident date

April 26, 2017

Location

الفلاحة, Felaha, Raqqa, Syria

Airwars assessment

One adult male was killed in an airstrike on the Felaha area behind Rabia’a school in Raqqa, according to local sources.

R.Tahrir.Alsham and the Shaam News Network reported that a “bulldozer” or “trucks” were struck by “a military drone” killing the driver. The sources didn’t identify the culprit or say whether the driver was a civilian.

Only one source, The Step News Agency, pointed directly to the Coalition, reporting that “Coalition warplanes destroyed a bulldozer near a Rabia’a school” – though the source made no mention of casualties.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ 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 Felah, Raqqah, 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. (1379)

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For April 25th-26th, the Coalition reported no strikes at Raqqah though noted that “Near Tabqah, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; and destroyed four fighting positions and a fuel truck.“

For April 26th - 27th, the Coalition reported no strikes ar Raqqah.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]