US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria

Civilians in the ruins of Mosul city. (Maranie R. Staab)

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Incident Code

CI741

Incident date

May 31, 2017

Location

حي الزنجيلي, Mosul, Zanjili and Shifa, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3502851, 43.1098795 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that more than twenty civilians were killed or injured after air strikes and artillery shelling hit their homes in Zanjili and Shifa neighborhood, in West Mosul. So far all sources blamed Joint Forces – a reference to both Iraqi and Coalition actions.

A source had told Alaraby news that “the Iraqi forces tried to advance into the neighborhood of Shifa in West Mosul, but failed to do so.” He suggested the shelling with airstrikes and artillery was part of an attempt to force ISIL to leave the areas next to the sites where the Iraqi forces are presently in.

The same local source said that the bombing had led to the collapse of the houses of these civilians – and left twenty killed or wounded.

Omar Al Halbusi put the death toll even higher in a post on Facebook and said 36 civilians had died in Zanjili neighbourhood alone.

A UN report on the protection of civilians in context of Nineveh operations and the retaking of Mosul stated: “On 31 May, an airstrike targeting an ISIL compound hit several civilian houses around al-Nasi Street in ISIL-controlled Zanjilly neighbourhood, western Mosul. The airstrike reportedly killed 84 civilians, including 31 women and 27 children, and wounded 103 others, including 49 women and 34 children.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 84
  • (27 children31 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–103
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ 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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF308246
    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
Official source

For May 30th-31st: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed two mortar systems, two ISIS staging areas, a vehicle, a VBIED, and a fighting position; and damaged nine ISIS supply routes, two fighting positions, and a command and control node.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 84
  • (27 children31 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–103
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS896

Incident date

May 31, 2017

Location

ميادين, Al Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.016667, 40.444167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple local sources reported that one of the founders of the IS media agency A’maq was killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike targeting his home in Al Mayadin. Sources said that his daughter was also killed in the strike and his wife injured.

Euphrates Post reported: “The death of Bara Kadak, known as Rayan Mishal, and his daughter Lian and the serious injury of his wife”.

Dawalhq and Rassd were among other sources reporting the death of the man’s daughter and injury of his wife in the alleged Coalition raid. According to the Smart News Agency, Kadak’s brother used Facebook to confirm that his brother had died in the raid with his daughter.

Smart reported: “Activists said on social networking sites that the media activist Bara Kadak, known as Rayan Mishal, was killed in a raid targeting his home in the city, noting that Kadak came from the city of Aleppo and was a media activist within the group Aleppo News, organized in 2014, where he contributed to the establishment of A’maq”.

Background information on Kadak was provided by Raialyoum: “‘The 31-year-old was a well-known media activist before joining the Islamic state,’ Mohammed Khaled, executive director of Aleppo 24, told AFP.

‘I met him at the beginning of 2012. He was Bara (Meshaal) of the old rebels in Aleppo,’ he said. He said Meshaal was a media activist in Aleppo until late 2013 when he announced his move to the ‘land of succession’ in the city of Bab in Aleppo.

He then fled to the city of Raqqa, the stronghold of the extremist group, but fled to Al Mayadin four months ago as the US-backed Syrian forces moved closer to the northern city, Khalid said.

‘From the beginning, we knew he was setting up this agency, because at that time he made many calls to activists in Aleppo to join him,’ he said.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Bara Kadak
31 years old male known as Rayan Mishal killed
Lian
Child female daughter of Bara Kadak killed
Wife of Bara Kadak
injured

The victims were named as:

Name unknown
Age unknown

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Bara Kadak, known as Rayan Mishal, founder of IS agency A'amaq, killed with his daughter in an alleged Coalition raid on Al Mayadin, May 31st (via Euphrates Post)
  • Bara Kadak, known as Rayan Mishal, founder of IS agency A'amaq, killed with his daughter in an alleged Coalition raid on Al Mayadin, May 31st (via Euphrates Post)
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 Al Mayadin, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU324762
    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
Official source

For May 30th-31st, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed an ISIS well head.“
For May 31st-June 1st, the Coalition reported: "Near Dayr Az Zawr, seven strikes destroyed four ISIS well heads, four ISIS oil tanks, an ISIS oil truck, an ISIS oil storage tank and an ISIS oil storage trailer."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI742

Incident date

May 31, 2017

Location

Mosul, Al-Midan, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.351729, 43.126741 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on August 4th 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment on claims of civilian harm “near Mosul, Iraq” by a “civilian report”. According to the Coalition report, “112. May 31, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via civilian report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

The Coalition shared the location of this assessed strike with Airwars. The location was stated as al Midan in Mosul.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ 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 evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3191124590
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017

  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 30th-31st: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed two mortar systems, two ISIS staging areas, a vehicle, a VBIED, and a fighting position; and damaged nine ISIS supply routes, two fighting positions, and a command and control node.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI738

Incident date

May 30, 2017

Location

حي الزنجيلي, Mosul, Zanjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3502851, 43.1098795 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that up to 200 civilians were killed and dozens wounded after airstrikes hit their houses in Zanjili neighbourhood (West Mosul) at dawn.

Omar Al Halbusi said on Facebook that the victims were mostly women and children, and that their bodies were still under the rubble.

@NinevehIraq reported on Twitter that Mohammed Bassil Tamimi Abu Yusuf was killed in the raids on Zanjili. He was married and had three children. The same was reported by a friend, Noble Al Ubeidy, who said that Mohammed had died as a result of shelling on his house.

Yaqein Agency said that both the Iraqi army and the international Coalition had bombed the area heavily, and said the counting of the victims was difficult due to the intensity of fighting and the ongoing shelling.

@Othmanmhmmadr said on Twitter that “horific testimonies come from Mosul”. He said “bodies are everywhere” and spoke of “a large massacre”.

Abu Alaa Wael Saimeh reported that as many as 200 civilians died, blaming the Iraqi government and the Coalition – the US in particular. This number was also mentioned by Alaraby news.

Alaraby spoke with an officer in the Iraqi army, who said that is unclear whether the strikes were carried out by the Iraqi government or the International Coalition. But “it is certain that dozens of houses in the neighbourhood were destroyed to the ground” and “the estimates speak of at least 200 victims, and these may be low estimates compared to reality.” He went on to say that “the streets of Al-Jadeed, Al-Naseem and the old school are filled with smoke, and a number of houses have been leveled.”

A member of the Mosul District, Mohammed Hassan, told the newspaper that the aircraft had chosen for this strategy after the army was unable to make progress and advance in the neighbourhood, resulting in “hysterical bombing”.

It furthermore reported that it saw hundreds of residents leaving the neighborhood after the air strikes, including dozens of wounded. They had left “through the corridors identified by the Iraqi Federal Police, which had announced that through loudspeakers after the bombing, which took several hours.”

A survivor told the newspaper “that he had buried his wife and then went out, while another [survivor] said that the people in the alley where they all lived had died because of the bombing. Residents who came out of the neighborhood seemed to be experiencing signs of extreme hunger and severe injuries.”

The newspaper concluded by saying that journalists had not been allowed to enter the area. Those that were given access, did so “with the requirement not to bring cameras, or even smart phones, into the neighborhood, indicating the commission of major crimes within the neighborhood.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Bassil Tamimi Abu Yusuf
Adult male Married with three children killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 200
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Mohammad Basil al-Tamimi Abu Yusuf, killed in a strike on (via a friend of the victim, Noble Al Ubeidy)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images of children allegedly injured in the attacks (via Abu Alaa Wael Saimeh)
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 evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Zanjili, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF308246
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 22, 2018

  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 29th-30th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed 34 vehicles, seven fighting positions, three VBIEDs, two mortar systems, two heavy machine guns, a medium machine gun, and a supply cache and damaged an ISIS-held building, an ISIS supply route and a fighting position.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 200
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI739

Incident date

May 30, 2017

Location

حي الزنجيلي, Mosul, Zanjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.3545, 43.108694 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on September 1st 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment on social media claims of civilian harm “near Mosul, Iraq”. According to the Coalition report, “11. May 30, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via social media report: The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.”

The Coalition shared the location of this assessed strike with Airwars. The location was stated as the Zanjili neighbourhood in Mosul. This matches the location of a separate strike reported by Airwars (I561).

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ 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 Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3049224538
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 1, 2017

  • The report contained insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 29th-30th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed 34 vehicles, seven fighting positions, three VBIEDs, two mortar systems, two heavy machine guns, a medium machine gun, and a supply cache and damaged an ISIS-held building, an ISIS supply route and a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI740

Incident date

May 30, 2017

Location

Mosul, Zanjili, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.351089, 43.109607 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In an incident not previously tracked by Airwars, on September 29th 2017 the Coalition said it had concluded an assessment on a self-reported claim of civilian harm “near Mosul, Iraq”. According to the Coalition report, “95. May 30, 2017, near Mosul, Iraq, via self-report: After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.”

The Coalition shared the location of this assessed strike with Airwars. The military coordinates provided were: 38SLF3037224549. This correspondents with the Zanjili neighbourhood in Mosul. This matches the location of a separate strike reported by Airwars (I561).

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ 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 evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLF3037224549
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 29, 2017

  • After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find that civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 29th-30th the Coalition publicly reported: “Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed 34 vehicles, seven fighting positions, three VBIEDs, two mortar systems, two heavy machine guns, a medium machine gun, and a supply cache and damaged an ISIS-held building, an ISIS supply route and a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS896a

Incident date

May 30–31, 2017

Location

Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.952357, 39.024896 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality”, one civilian was reportedly killed in alleged Coalition artillery strikes in Raqqa. Although Airwars assesses single sourced incidents as “weak”, researchers have assessed this incident “fair” due to the depth of material provided by Amnesty.

According to the report, “Firas Hsein al-Yasfo, 17, killed in his home while sleeping at 4am by an artillery shell.”

His mother, Umm Firas, gave a testimony of his death to Amnesty, “Shells were falling here and there. He was just sleeping.”

The incident occured at 04:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Firas Hsein al-Yasf
17 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Not yet assessed.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Incident Code

CS891

Incident date

May 30, 2017

Location

معدان, Al Suweidiya, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.751769, 39.61639 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and five civilians including one woman and three or four children died – and ten other civilians were wounded – in alleged Coalition airstrikes on Al Suweidiya, east of Ma’adan according to local media.

All sources attributed the event to the Coalition. According to Alaraby, there were two strikes: the first hitting “the wall of the ‘Alia Bint al-Mahdi’ school” and a second striking the “house of the family of Al-Razaj.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the death of “four people from one family including a woman, her child, a citizen and his brother.” It blamed the Coalition.

Syrianpc, @SRG_Syria, @Sour_News, @Q_Alenezy put the death toll at four children and one woman, attributing the event to Coalition warplanes.

Alaraby, Radar2, Sawarim put the death toll higher at five non-combatants with 10 more wounded, reporting that the deaths occurred in the “Al Suweidiya region east of Ma’dan”.

Some sources specifically blamed “US air strikes”.

Euphrates Post and Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently named four victims as:

 

 

 

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Rima Al – Enezan
killed
Jumah Khader al-Razaj
killed
Abdul Rahman Hussein Al-Razaj
killed
Aya Hussain Al-Razaj
killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1–4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (40) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • The wall of Alia Bint al-Mahdi’ school that was targeted in an alleged Coalition airstrike in Al Suweidiya, Raqqah provice, on May 30th 2017 (via Sharqiya voice)
  • The remains of the Zarj family’s house (via RBSS May 30th 2017).
  • The destruction of Al Suweidiya after the alleged Coalition airstrike on May 30th 2017 (via RBSS posted May 30th 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
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV5640257392
    Military Grid Reference System

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 of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

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
    4 – 5
  • (1–4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (40) [ collapse]