Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS852

Incident date

May 23, 2017

Location

البارودة, Al Barouda, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.8965073, 38.8007712 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Sixteen civilians including six children and seven women died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Barounda village, according to local sources.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) – who blamed the Coalition – initially reported the death of three non-combatants. Step News Agency also put the death toll at three – however, a subsequent report by RBSS said that the number of victims had increased to 16, with most of them displaced from Al Sukhna.

The Violations Documentation Center was among the sources blaming the Coalition. It named 13 victims. Further victims were named by other sources.

RBSS also published an image of a woman.There is no named on the photo but one of the comments says ‘May God have mercy on Umm Saddam’so’, she is Saddam’s mother. It puts the death toll at 16.

RFS also said that 16 civilians died with dozens more wounded and blamed the Coalition, reporting that civilian homes were targeted resulting in widespread destruction.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, six children and six women were among the 16 killed by Coalition missiles.

Sawarim [IS propaganda] referred specifically to “US raids”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (9)

Roz Saddam al-Nayef al-Haj
Child female
Ibraheem Saddam al-Nayef al-Haj
Child male killed
Gezlan Saddam al-Nayef al-Haj
Child female killed
Fatima Ibraheem al-Nayef al-Haj
Adult female killed
Afra al-Khalifeh al-Haj
Adult female killed
Ibraheem al-Nayef al-Haj
Adult male killed
Ahlam Saddam al-Nayef al-Haj
Child female killed
Angam Saddam al-Nayef al-Haj
Child female killed
Mohammad Ahmad al-Nayef al-Haj
Adult male killed

Family members (3)

Hamoud al-Zend
Adult male killed
Wife of Hamoud al-Zend 1
Adult female killed
Wife of Hamoud al-Zend 2
Adult female killed

Family members (2)

Issa Al-Mousa Al-Hamoud
Adult male killed
His wife “Khawla Al Jaber
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Fozeh Mohammad Awwad al-Arab
Adult female killed
Daughter of Mohammed Nur al – Issa
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • (5–6 children6–7 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • The children Ghezlan, Rose, Ibrahim, Ahlam, Angham Sadam al Nayef were among those killed in the allaged Coalition raid on Al Barouda, May 23rd/24th (via SN4HR)
  • Issa al Moussa al Hamoud, killed in an allaged Coalition airstrike on Al Barounda village, May 23/24the (via RBSS)
  • Victims of an alleged Coalition airstrike on Al Barouda in Raqqa on May 23rd, 2017. The woman isn't named but one of the comments in this posts says ‘May God have mercy on Umm Saddam so it would appear she is Saddam’s mother. (via RBSS on May 24th, 2017).
  • The aftermatch of the alleged Coalition airstrike on Barouda in Raqqa on May 23rd, 2017 (via RBSS on May 25th, 2017).
  • House of the victim Ibrahim al-Nayef al-Hajj in the town of Barouda after being targeted by an alleged Coalition airstrike on May 23rd, 2017 (via Al Raqqa Truth on May 25th, 2017).
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 Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 22nd-23rd, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 13 strikes engaged 11 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 15 fighting positions, two vehicles, a weapons cache; and damaged an ISIS supply route.” It later additionally added that on May 22nd “Near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed a fighting position, a VBIED, and a front-end loader.”
For May 23rd-24th, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed three fighting positions and a mortar system." It added that on May 23rd "Near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes destroyed eight command and control nodes and destroyed a VBIED facility."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • (5–6 children6–7 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (32) [ collapse]