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

CI693

Incident date

May 7, 2017

Location

الشلالات, Mosul, Shalalat, Nineveh, Iraq

Airwars assessment

Residents and local media sources said that 34 civilians were killed and 77 (numbers reportedly mentioned by ISIL press agency) wounded after Coalition airstrikes and shelling by Iraqi government forces hit many neighbourhoods in West Mosul.

@sh0_news said in a tweet that “more than 130 martyred civilians are the result of the bombing of the Coalition on Mosul # Today”. This appears to be an inflated compound of dead and injured figures.

An unknown source told Yaqein that Iraqi and US artillery shelling had hit several neighbourhoods in West Mosul since 7am that day, including Shalalat.

Further details are presently unknown.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    34
  • Civilians reported injured
    77
  • 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
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Mosul, Iraq
    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
Official source

For May 6th-7th the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and a sniper team; destroyed three VBIED factories, three tactical vehicles, two fighting positions, two medium machine guns, two VBIEDs, a mortar system, an anti-air artillery system, a VBIED facility, a rocket-propelled grenade system, a VBIED staging area; and damaged four fighting positions and four ISIS supply routes.”

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
    34
  • Civilians reported injured
    77
  • 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

CI694

Incident date

May 7, 2017

Location

الموصل: غرب/الجانب الأيمن, Mosul, West / Right side, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.336843, 43.117979 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One report on social media said that an ISIS member named Ali Ubaid ‘Issa Dagher (Abujrajis) was killed with his “entire family” including his mother in an airstrike. It is presently unclear in which West Mosul neighbourhood the strike occurred.

No further details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

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

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
Official source

For May 6th-7th the Coalition reported: “Near Mosul, five strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and a sniper team; destroyed three VBIED factories, three tactical vehicles, two fighting positions, two medium machine guns, two VBIEDs, a mortar system, an anti-air artillery system, a VBIED facility, a rocket-propelled grenade system, a VBIED staging area; and damaged four fighting positions and four ISIS supply routes.”

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS779

Incident date

May 7, 2017

Location

الثورة‎, Tabaqah, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 20 and 40 civilians including eight children and four women died in an alleged Coalition airstrike on the Al Awwal and Al Thaleth neighbourhood of Al Tabaqa, according to local media.

All sources attributed the incident to the Coalition, though there was some uncertainly on the date of the incident with a number of sources sources reporting deaths on May 12th from an incident that reportedly occurred “a few days ago”.

Raqqa is being Slaughtered Silently, blaming the Coalition, put the death toll as high as 30. According to a report on May 13th, “a lot of buildings in the second and third neighborhoods have been completely destroyed, some of them still under the ruins of the population, especially in the third district where the number of martyrs is estimated at 40 civilian martyrs, not to mention the destruction of infrastructure.”

The article went on to claim that Kurdish forces “have imposed a curfew in the city, especially in the neighborhoods they have recently controlled. They are now transporting many bodies from houses and rubble and burying them away from the eyes of the media and cameras to say that there are no civilian casualties. The militias also moved the people who were present In neighborhoods to the village area.”

The journalist Mohab Nasser produced reports on May 12th, naming casualties which he said had been the result of a Coalition strike “a few days ago”. Airwars reached out to him to confirm the date of the incident and he told our researchers that “on On 7/5/2017 a warplane belonging to the Coalition attacked a 4-storey residential building in the third district, which led to the destruction of the building and the martyrdom of a number of residents, including three families. He named victims as:

Alo Hatem Jubran, 78 years

Safia Yassin, 77 years [female]

Ibrahim Alo Jubran, 41 years

Batoul Al-Sayed, 35 years [female]

Mohammed Ibrahim Jubran, 8 years

Fatima Ibrahim Jubran, 6 years

Maria Ibrahim Jubran, 1 year

Najah Musa Al-Abeisan, 18 years

Mohammed Ali Al-Aoran

Firas Bakir, 38 years

Wife of Firas Bakir

Mohamed Abdo Manan – also named in a previous event on May 12th in Tabaqa’s Third neighbourhood (listed below)

Salam Rasho, wife of Mohamed Abdo Manan – also named in a previous event on May 12th in Tabaqa’s Third neighbourhood (listed below)

The child Mohammed Abdo – also named in a previous event on May 12th in Tabaqa’s Third neighbourhood (listed below)

Khalil Ibrahim Jubran, 10 years

Abu Mustafa Al – Issa, 8 years

Ahmed Mustafa Al-Eissa, 7 years

Zakaria Mustafa Al – Issa, 14 years

Ziad Abdul Ghani Mullah Hashim, 43 years

He added that more victims were being found every day. Four further victims were named as:

Mohamed Hassan Awad

Mustapha Abdul Kafi al-Hussein

Mustafa Hussein

Khaled Areeb

Mohammad Haddad

RFS reported on May 14th the death of seven people – including women and children – from the Gebran family, in a Coalition strike which occurred “a few days ago”.

RBSS named further victims as:

George Bashoura

Abu Hassan al Ahdab – and his wife and two children

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 40
  • (10 children5 women)
  • 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 (44) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abi Zakariya al Issa, eight-years-old, died in an alleged Coalition raid on Tabaqa's Thurd neighbourhood on May 7th, according to Mohab Nasser.
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
    a:1:{i:0;s:24:"insufficient_information";}
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Tabqah, 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
Official source

For May 6th-7th, the Coalition reported: “Near Tabqah, nine strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed four fighting positions, two tactical vehicles, a vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 40
  • (10 children5 women)
  • 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 (44) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS774

Incident date

May 6, 2017

Location

الثورة‎, Tabaqah, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilian males were reported injured in Tabaqa. However how the injuries were sustained was not clear.

The two men were said to be in stable condition after being transported from Tabaqa to a hospital in Hasaka, roughly 250km away.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Saeed Mohamed Aghrab
Age unknown male injured
Ibrahim al Salam
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Saeed Mohamed Aghrab, wounded following an alleged Coalition airstrike on May 6th in Tabaqa. (via Mohab Nasser)
  • Ibrahim al Salama injured following alleged Coalition strikes on Tabaqah, May 6th (via Mohab Nasser) [Page no longer available - accessed via Airwars archive]
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 Al Thawrah, Tabqah, 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
Official source

For May 5th-6th: “Near Tabqah, seven strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units; destroyed two ISIS boats, two vehicles, two fighting positions and a VBIED.” It later added that “Near Tabqah, Syria, May 5th, two strikes destroyed a fighting position.”
For May 6th-7th: “Near Tabqah, nine strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed four fighting positions, two tactical vehicles, a vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.” It later added that “Additionally, three strikes were conducted in Syria on May 6th that closed within the last 24 hours. Near Tabqah, Syria, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions and a supply cache.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

‘Saturday 6 May – Typhoons supported Syrian Democratic Forces at Tabqah, to the west of Raqqa…Typhoons supported the Syrian Democratic Forces to the west of Raqqa on Saturday 6 May, delivering a successful Paveway attack on a building defended by a number of Daesh fighters.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS775

Incident date

May 6, 2017

Location

الشهداء, al Shuhada, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.964033, 39.005355

Airwars assessment

The Step News Agency reported that the Coalition “launched several air raids targeting al Shuhadaa [the Martyrs] district near E’nezan bakery in the city of Raqqa, which resulted in a number of wounded“.

Sour News also reported an “air raid” – but didn’t identify the culprit – in the area “between the Bakery of E’nezan and the Shuhada’a Mosque”. It added that there were no details on casualties.

No further information is currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ 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 Al Shuhada, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV004799
    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 5th-6th: “Near Raqqah, one strike destroyed two front-end loaders and damaged a dam.”
For May 6th-7th: “Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed two vehicles, a front-end loader and a fighting position.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

‘Saturday 6 May – Typhoons supported Syrian Democratic Forces at Tabqah, to the west of Raqqa…Typhoons supported the Syrian Democratic Forces to the west of Raqqa on Saturday 6 May, delivering a successful Paveway attack on a building defended by a number of Daesh fighters.’

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS776

Incident date

May 6, 2017

Location

ميادين, Al Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.01508, 40.46758 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two local sources reported that a civilian was killed in a Coalition airstrike on Al Mayadeen town.

There was initially some uncertainty about the date of the event: A Natek reported it on May 8th, while according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights – which published its report on May 8th – the named victim died from an injury he had sustained in a strike “a few days ago”.

In September 2019 the Coalition accepted responsibility for this incident. Its monthly civilian casualty report noted: “May 6, 2017, in Al Mayadin, Syria, via Airwars report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally killed as a result of the strike.”

In May 2020, the Pentagon declared that this had been a US action.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Amer Tawfik Al Ali al Hamad
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Table from May 2020 Pentagon report to Congress, conceding additional US civilian harm events in Iraq and Syria during 2017.

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated this incident to the nearest city at 35.016667, 40.444167

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    No reason given
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    1
  • Stated location
    in Al Mayadin, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU339757
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Sep 26, 2019

  • May 6, 2017, in Al Mayadin, Syria, via Airwars report. Coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike against a Daesh facility. Regrettably, one civilian was unintentionally killed as a result of the strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For May 6th-7th the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, 10 strikes destroyed eight ISIS oil tankers, four ISIS well heads, two Unmanned Aerial System facilities and an ISIS barge.”
For May 7th-8th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed four ISIS well heads, a unmanned aerial system storage building and a vehicle.”
For May 8th-9th: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed four ISIS oil tankers and an ISIS well head.“

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

‘Tuesday 9 May – A Reaper intervened during a public execution staged by Daesh in Abu Kamal, Syria, killing a Daesh guard and dispersing the crowd gathered to witness the atrocity… The RAF is continuing to support Iraqi forces in their effort to liberate western Mosul. While the operating environment in the city is very challenging, particularly given the closely-packed buildings, very narrow streets, and the density of the urban population, our aircrew have continued to deliver precision strikes in close support of Iraqi troops on the ground. Daesh’s current tactics, including the illegal use of civilians as human shields, and fighting from sites such as schools, hospitals, religious sites and civilian neighbourhoods, increases the risk to innocent life. While no military operations come without risk, particularly in dense urban environments and against such inhuman Daesh tactics, the RAF continues to take all steps necessary to minimise civilian casualties. An RAF Reaper remotely piloted aircraft observed a group of Daesh fighters in Abu Kamal, eastern Syria, mustering a large crowd of civilians in one of the town’s main streets on Tuesday 9 May. When a van then unloaded two shackled prisoners in front of the crowd, it became clear that Daesh were organising a public execution. Given the large number of civilians present, the Reaper’s crew could not target directly the Daesh fighters about to carry out the murders. However, two armed extremists were stationed as sentries on the roof of a building overlooking the scene. A Hellfire missile was fired immediately, and scored a direct hit which not only killed one of the sentries but also brought the execution to an immediate halt, as the Daesh fighters fled the scene, and the crowd of civilians dispersed.’

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Known target
    ISIS

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS777

Incident date

May 6, 2017

Location

between Al Jizera and Al Shamiyah (Raqqah), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.933065, 39.007732

Airwars assessment

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.

Incident Code

CS772

Incident date

May 5, 2017

Location

دبسي عفنان, Dibsi Afnan, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8175348, 38.2162857 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Smart News Agency, “eleven civilians were killed and injured earlier in the day in a bombing by likely allied aircraft on the village of Dabsi Afnan (120 km west of Raqqa).”

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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
    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
Official source

For May 4th-5th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, three strikes destroyed a front-end loader and an ISIS well head. Near Tabqah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two fighting positons and a vehicle.”
For May 5th-6th: “Near Raqqah, one strike destroyed two front-end loaders and damaged a dam. Near Tabqah, seven strikes engaged six ISIS tactical units; destroyed two ISIS boats, two vehicles, two fighting positions and a VBIED.” It later added that “Near Tabqah, Syria, May 5th, two strikes destroyed a fighting position.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–11
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]