(Previous Incident Codes: R667RS754)

Fourteen civilians including three children died and at least 24 people were injured in airstrikes on Raqqa, according to multiple sources – though reports are conflicted as to whether the Assad regime or Russia were responsible.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently posted images showing destruction of the city following airstrikes. It did not initially say who was responsible. They also published images of some of the dead. However, RBSS later reported that these were Russian raids and that seven people died: “Russian warplanes launched…five raids on the city of Raqqa, which resulted in the death of seven civilians. Those who were identified are Farouk Mansour and his daughter and Khaled al-Issa, as well as injuring more than two dozen others injured, some of them in serious condition. The air strikes focused on different parts, including the eastern gate of Al Rasheed park, the eastern part of the government complex and the car square in front of it, the shops on Al Qitar street opposite the water company, the Palace of Justice and Al Rasheed secondary school junction. Daesh straight away put up barriers inside the town and its entry points.”

Al A’maq accused Russia of conducting 10 raids. In a very brief post, LCSSY initially blamed the Coalition, though then changed position and said Russia was responsible and posted images of the aftermath.

Shaam News Network also attributed the incident to Russia, reporting that “Russian warplanes launched air strikes on several areas in the city of Raqqa, a (near the water company, the Palace of Justice, the junction at al Rasheed secondary school, Al Majma’ Square, and Bab Al-Rasheed Park) which led to the fall of a number of martyrs and wounded among civilians, including children.”

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, this was the work of the regime. It put the death toll at five including a girl and a woman. A second SN4HR report added: “regime warplanes fired missiles on Al Rashid School in Adnan Al Malkli Street in Raqqa city, partially damaging its building and fence“.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four non-combatants died, but did not identify the planes responsible.