Conflict

U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Incident Code

CS818

Location

يعرب, Ya'arob, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.976944, 38.873056
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: S717)

Six to 17 civilians were reportedly killed and as many as hundreds more wounded in the villages of Ya’rob and al Sakhoura in the western Raqqa countryside. However sources were conflicted as to whether they died in a Coalition airstrike or artillery shelling by YPG forces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the only source thus far, alleged that the Coalition was responsible for airstrikes, but reported that there was also shelling by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which could have been responsible for the deaths also. Most sources blamed YPG shelling.

24Raqqa put the death toll at nine but said that hundreds more were wounded.

Madar Daily put the death toll as high as 17.

Victims

Family members (3)

Bassel Ismail Al Sukran
male killed
Majd Ismail Al Sukran
male killed
Bashar Ismail Al Sukran
male killed

Family members (2)

Ibrahim Ali Al Aslan
male
Hassan Ali Al Aslan
male

Individuals

Ali Al Awwad Al Huweija
male killed
The wife of Ammar Khalaf Al Khawija
female killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
6–17
Civilians reported injured
2–200

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Ya’arob (يعرب), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.976944, 38.873056. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
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 Ya’aroub, Syria
Location accuracy
100 m
MGRS coordinate
37SDV886830
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For May 12th- 13th the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions, a front-end loader, an ISIS crane, and a house-born improvised explosive device.”
U.S.-led Coalition Civilian Casualty Statement
2018-01-25
Original Source
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.

Media From Sources (1)