(Previous Incident Codes: R267S148b)

The IS-linked agency Al A’maq posted a video showing destruction in the city following reported airstrikes

Local monitoring group Raqaa is Being Slaughtered suggested the attack may have been the work of the US-led Coalition: “Warplanes targeted with seven missiles on Friday night the area of February 23rd Street in Raqqa city center. This resulted in injuries and the loss of a number of civilians, as well as the destruction of shops. The strike coincided with intensive reconnaissance flights, and the sound of explosions in the northern rural areas were likely to have been raids by the international Coalition.”

Photos published on IS media showing the destruction caused in the area blames Russian ‘crusader’ planes for the strikes.

In its July 2017 report the Coalition said it had not conducted any strikes in the near vicinity, and classed the event as non credible: “Dec. 26, 2015, near Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report: After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographic area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.”