Airwars assessment
Between five and nine civilians including one child died and up to 20 more were wounded in airstrikes on Al Idkhar neighbourhood of Raqqa, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia, the Assad regime of the US-led Coalition was responsible. Several reports said that strikes occurred near the Yahya Sports Club.
The Smart News Agency, Ara and Syria Mirror blamed the Coalition. Syria Mirror reported that “international coalition warplanes launched three raids on neighbourhoods in the city of Raqqa, on the al Thakana and al Idkhar areas and the area around Al Nawawi mosque. Nine civilians died and others were wounded. Three members of ISIS were reportedly also wounded; two of them were transferred to the city of Mosul for treatment, and the third remains in the National Hospital in Raqqa.”
However, other sources, including Shaam News Network and Step News Agency, attributed the strikes to Russia. Step said that there were two strikes at midnight.
Al Jisr cited the IS media agency Al A’amaq, which claimed that the raids were carried out by Russia and “targeted the homes of civilians”. Activists said that the raids “hit the targeted savings area, resulting in the death of seven civilians and wounding of 20 more, including women and children.”
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently – who put the death count at six and also blamed Russia – identified the following victims: Abdul Karim Awad Al Shalash and his daughter Elisar Abdul Karim Awad Al Shalash.
One source, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, who put the death count at five, said that the Assad regime was responsible.
A number of other sources did not identify the warplanes responsible.
The incident occured around midnight.