Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS890

Incident date

May 29, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, Shukri Buzan gas station, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians died and an unspecified number were injured by alleged Coalition airstrikes and artillery shelling by either the US or the SDF, local media said.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently blamed Coalition raids and “artillery of Kurdish militias”, as did @Raqqa_SL , @salal_mftah_ , Radioalkul and other sources.

According to Shaam and Sdusyria, “The International Air Force launched air raids on the city of Raqqa, accompanied by a rocket attack targeting the vicinity of Shukri Busan station”.

The media activist, Abu Mu’adh al-Raqqa, told Raqqa Post: “Missiles from coalition aircraft struck Shukri Buzan gas station. There were four missiles targeted the area, which completely destroyed the area and turning it into a ghost town. Firefighters rushed to extinguish the flames. Artillery shells also landed inside the houses of civilians in the surrounding area.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (19) [ 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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Shukri Buzan
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 28, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 29th-30th: “Near Raqqah, 11 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units and destroyed five vehicles, a tunnel, a mortar system, a weapons cache, a VBIED factory and a fighting position.” It was additionally reported for May 29th that “Near Raqqah, Syria, four strikes destroyed three ISIS-held buildings, two VBIEDs, and a weapons cache.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]