Incident Code

CS734

Location

الثورة‎, Tabaqah, al Zouikat, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.81925, 38.53727
Accuracy: Within 100m (via Coalition)

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S649)

Sixteen named civilians including eight children and five died in an alleged Coalition airstrike near the Al A’jrawi roundabout in Tabaqa, according to local media.

In January 2019, the Coalition accepted responsibility for the event, noting: “ Coalition aircraft engaged with what was positively identified as an ISIS defensive position on the balcony of a house, containing five ISIS combatants. Regrettably, unknown to Coalition observers, 16 civilians were inside the house, and were unintentionally killed when it collapsed as a result of the second strike.”

The Smart News Agency, reported that likely Coalition airstrikes killed seven civilians, including three children and a woman, and injured 12 others. It said that the strikes occurred “on the Zoueikat neighborhood and near the town’s roundabout.”

According to Mohab Naser, “Coalition planes committed a terrible massacre a few days ago in All Tabaqa after targeting a residential home with three families inside it north of aAl A’jrawi roundabout in the city, which led to the deaths of 16 martyrs most of them women and children. Their bodies are still under the rubble.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that 15 members of the same family including eight children and five women were killed by “Coalition missiles”.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently named 16 victims.

In September 2017, Human Rights Watch published a field study of the event. It said the attack occurred at coordinates 35.820467, 38.537615 at 11pm-11:30pm on April 25th or 26th, and added the following:

“Local residents told Human Rights Watch that there was heavy fighting between SDF and ISIS on April 25 and 26 in the area around the al-‘Ajrawi roundabout located at the southern entry of Tabqa.They said that ISIS fighters were moving through the streets and using at least one house in the neighborhood to attack the advancing SDF forces. Around 11:30 p.m. on April 25 or 26, they said, an airstrike hit a residential house where the al-Jasem family was hiding. The al-Jasem house was located across the street from the house ISIS was using. The witnesses said they were hiding in their homes at the time of the strike so they were not able to say whether ISIS was present on top of or near the al-Jasem home. Human Rights Watch visited the site. The damage to the house is consistent with damage from an airstrike.

By the following morning, SDF were in control of the area. Local residents said that they collected the bodies of sixteen civilians, including nine children, from the targeted house several days after the attack. They provided Human Rights Watch with the names of the casualties and showed Human Rights Watch the place where they were buried.

In response to questions from Human Rights Watch, the CJTF press desk said that coalition forces conducted precision strikes in the vicinity of the location provided. On September 18 the press desk said that the CJTF was still assessing whether the strike resulted in civilian casualties.

The Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

Victims

Family members (14)

Mariam Ali Al Jassem
9 years old female killed
Khaled Ali Al Jassem
5 years old male killed
Qais Ali Al Jassem
16 years old killed
Loulou Ali Al Jassem
14 years old killed
Fawza Ali Al Jassem
38 years old female killed
Saja Mustapha al Jassem
11 years old female killed
Fadia Mustapha al Jassem
6 months years old female killed
Nour Mustapha Al Jassem
7 years old female killed
Mariam Mohammad al Jassem
44 years old female killed
Ali Mohammad al Jassem
47 years old male killed
Hala Ali al Jassem
9 years old female killed
Hussein Ali al Jassem
17 years old male killed
Fatima ahmad al Jassem
20 years old female killed
Fahima Ahmad al Jassem
44 years old female killed

Invidivuals

Bushra al Milhem
39 years old killed
Mustapha al Jassem al Obeid
40 years old male killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Confirmed
A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
Civilians reported killed
16
8 Children, 5 Women, 2 Men
Civilians reported injured
12

Geolocation Notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest town at 35.8295049, 38.5360909

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Known belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Credible / Substantiated
Given reason for civilian harm
Killed by secondary explosion(s)
Civilian deaths conceded
16
Civilian injuries conceded
None
Stated location
near al-Ajrawi roundabout, Tabqah, Syria
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
37SDV582640
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For April 25th-26th, the Coalition reported: “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: “Near Tabqah, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions”.
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2019-01-31
Original Source
Apr. 26, 2017, near al-Ajrawi roundabout, Tabqah, Syria, via Airwars report. Coalition aircraft engaged with what was positively identified as an ISIS defensive position on the balcony of a house, containing five ISIS combatants. Regrettably, unknown to Coalition observers, 16 civilians were inside the house, and were unintentionally killed when it collapsed as a result of the second strike.

Media From Sources (2)