Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS854

Incident date

May 24, 2017

Location

دبسي عفنان, Dibsi Afnan, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.819444, 38.217778 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman and one girl were reportedly killed in Dabsi Afnan in Raqqa governorate, roughly 30km west of Tabaqah, but it was contested who was responsible.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) and the Syrian Network for Human Rights alleged that the Coalition was responsible for the airstrikes, while Mohab Nasser, Euphrates Post and several other sources reported that the Syrian government was to blame.

Al Ragga Truth and Ahmad al Shibli also reported the airstikes, but did not allege who was responsible.

Pro-Hezbollah outlet Almanar TV reported a death toll of six, including two women, and blamed the attack on the Coalition.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khadija al Bayyoud
Adult female killed
Rahaf Adnan al Moussa
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]

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 Dibsi Afnan, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV293639
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018
  • 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 23rd-24th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed three fighting positions and a mortar system.” It also later noted that “Near Raqqah, Syria, three strikes destroyed eight command and control nodes and destroyed a VBIED facility” and that “Near Raqqah, Syria, May 23, two strikes destroyed three command and control nodes.”
For May 24th-25th, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, 15 strikes [1 British] engaged 12 ISIS tactical units; and destroyed five fighting positions, four ISIS dump trucks, four vehicles, two artillery systems, a front-end loader, and a weapons cache." It added that "Near Raqqah, Syria, May 23, two strikes destroyed three command and control nodes." And "Near Raqqah, Syria, May 24, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed six fighting positions, a mortar system, and a vehicle."

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

"Wednesday 24 May – a Reaper attacked near Raqqa, whilst Tornados prosecuted four Daesh targets in Mosul…A Reaper, conducting surveillance south-west of Raqqa on Wednesday 24 May, kept watch on a small group of terrorists and was able to conduct a successful attack with a Hellfire missile. In Mosul, when advancing Iraqi security forces found themselves facing two buildings defended by a Daesh heavy machine-gun, a sniper team and at least one individual in a suicide-bomb vest, they called for assistance from a flight of Tornados. Our aircraft delivered a very precise simultaneous attack with two Paveway IVs which destroyed both terrorist strongpoints. The Tornados then hit a third terrorist position, again with a Paveway, whilst a second flight bombed a fourth position."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (12) [ collapse]