Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS869

Incident date

May 26, 2017

Location

Ar Raqqah - Deir Ezzor road, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.701487, 39.635664 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A taxi driver was killed by an airstrike, according to local reports.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee reported that a man was killed by unidentified warplanes on a road near Deir Eizzor. The report said he was a driver. HRO also named him, as did Euphrates Post, which identified him as a taxi driver. That report placed the incident on the road between Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. None of the reports said who was responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Suleiman Mohammed Al-Atallah
29 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Suleiman Mohammed al-Attallah, killed by an alleged Coalition airstrike which targeted his car on the road from Deiralzur to Raqqaa (via Euphrates Post May 26th, 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
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV575510
    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 25th-26th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, nine strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, three vehicles, a tactical vehicle, and a mortar system” and “Near Dayr Az Zawr, five strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed seven ISIS oil trucks, four ISIS barges, an ISIS well head, a command and control node, and an ISIS headquarters.”
For May 26th-27th, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged 11 ISIS tactical units; destroyed seven vehicles, five fighting positions, three tunnels, an ISIS headquarters and an ISIS staging area."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]