Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Between seven and ten civilians died and dozens more were wounded in an alleged Coalition airstrike on a vehicle carrying displaced civilians at the outskirts of Raqqa, according to local media.
The Step News Agency reported: “On Monday, May 8, the International coalition committed a new massacre in Raqqa province after it targeted a convoy transporting displaced civilians from the countryside of Homs and eastern Hama. The convoy had left Raqqa city and was heading towards Akeirbat in eastern Hama, killing 10 people in an initial toll. Th victims decided to flee from Raqqa after the situation worsened.” The victims were also named by Al Latamna Youth Union.
Other sources also blamed the Coalition, reporting that a bus carrying displaced people was hit. The Syrian Network for Human Rights put the death toll at at least seven
One source, Tayyal91aa, claimed that the incident was fake, reporting that “The missile hit next to the bus and no casualties were reported and that the bus continued its way and arrived safely in Akrabbat with passengers all safe.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (2)
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (13) [ 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 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 7th-8th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 13 ISIS barges and two excavators.”
For May 8th-9th: “Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed five weapons storage caches and an ISIS barge.”