Airwars assessment
According to the Smart News Agency, “eleven civilians were killed and injured earlier in the day in a bombing by likely allied aircraft on the village of Dabsi Afnan (120 km west of Raqqa).”
No further details are currently available.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (1) [ collapse]
Attached to this civilian harm incident is the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, 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
-
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.
Original strike reports
For May 4th-5th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, three strikes destroyed a front-end loader and an ISIS well head. Near Tabqah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two fighting positons and a vehicle.”
For May 5th-6th: “Near Raqqah, one strike destroyed two front-end loaders and damaged a dam. Near Tabqah, seven strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units; destroyed two ISIS boats, two vehicles, two fighting positions and a VBIED.” It later added that “Near Tabqah, Syria, May 5th, two strikes destroyed a fighting position.”