Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS894

Incident date

May 30, 2017

Location

مزرعة الروضة, Rawda Farm, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.951997, 39.021030 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians from the Al-Mashhoud family died in a casualty event at Rawda Farm – near the old mosque area – though reports were conflicted as to whether they were killed by US-led Coalition airstrikes or shelling by the SDF or US.

According to Alaraby, “local sources told Al-Arab Al-Jadeed that seven civilians from the Al-Mashhoud family were killed by an international coalition air strike targeting their home at Al-Rawda farm north of Raqqa city.” According to the Syrian Observatory, “the casualties are a man and two of his sons and one of them was killed with 4 of his children, also the shelling injured several others.”

Radio Alkul poiinted only to the SDF, reporting that “seven civilians from one family were killed by shelling of the Syrian Democratic Forces militia on Mazra’at al-Rawda, north of al-Raqqa”. Some others sources blamed both the Coalition and the SDF.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Haj Ibrahim Al-Mashhoud
killed
Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Mashhoud
killed
Mahmoud Ibrahim Al-Mashhoud
killed
Jamal Mahmoud Al-Mashhoud
killed
Mustafa Mahmoud Al-mashhoud
killed
Ibrahim Mahmoud Al-Mashhoud
killed
Ahmed Mahmoud Al-Mashhoud
killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the area of the “Old Mosque” (الجامع القديم) in the city of Raqqa (الرقة). The generic coordinates for the mosque are: 35.951997, 39.021030. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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 Rawda Farm, Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 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, the Coalition publicly reported: “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.”
For May 30th-31st, the Coalition reported: "Near Raqqah, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed a fighting position and a VBIED. For May 30th, it added that "Near Raqqah, Syria, a strike destroyed an ISIS command and control node."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (19) [ collapse]