Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Between 17 and 32 civilians were reported killed and a further 20 or more injured following alleged Coalition strikes on Ma’yezila.
According to Riba FM, the strike took place near the town’s Alh mosque. Raqqa News Network reported that “Al-Ma’yzila’s population is less than 300 and they all have the same grandfather. More than 28 martyrs were killed, around 10% were killed. This is a genocide.” And Shaam News reported that “Activists said the international coalition targeted several civilian houses in the village of Maizalh with missiles, leaving 17 martyrs in an initial toll and dozens wounded.”
In a detailed report, Syria Newsdesk said “32 civilians were killed and more than 20 others wounded on Thursday evening, by the the international coalition planes targeting with six raids houses in the centre of al Ma’yezila village which is under the control of the organization of the Islamic state in northern Raqqa. The media opposition activist Mohamed Osman, quoting civilian sources from the village, told Syria News Desk that two planes belonging to the international coalition bombed using vacuum missiles five houses in the village, killing 30 civilians, including two families made up of 16 people each including children. He confirmed that there are nine serious cases among the wounded, who were transferred to the National Hospital in Raqqa, the death toll is likely to rise in the coming hours, while the rest of the injured were ministered to at other medical points of the city. The source said the raids also resulted in the destruction of five houses completely and great damage occurred to four others houses.”
In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event had been submitted “for further review.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (1)
Family members (4)
Family members (1)
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (24) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]
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Ismaeil Al-Ahmad Al-Shinan, his bother Mahmood and his child Abdur-Rahman - killed in a reported Coaltion strike on December 8th 2016 (via Raqqa News Network)
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Mahmoud al Ahmad Al Shanan and his brother Ismail Al Ahamd al Shanan who were martyred along with their entire family (via RBSS)
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Mahmoud al Ahmad Al Shanan and his brother Ismail Al Ahamd al Shanan who were martyred along with their entire family (via RBSS)
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Abd al Rahman al Ahmad al Shanan (via RBSS)
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Asa’ad Suleiman al Juma’a (via RBSS)
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.
US-led Coalition Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.
Original strike reports
For December 8th-9th 2016 the Coaltion reported: “Near Ar Raqqah, three strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed a vehicle, a fighting position, and a supply cache. Near Ayn Isa, two strikes damaged five ISIL supply routes.”