Incident Codes

RS319 CS159

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.949949, 39.007363
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(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.”

 

Victims

Family members (2)

Adult female killed

Key Information

Country
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
2
1 Child, 1 Woman
Civilians reported injured
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Raqqah (الرقة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.949949, 39.007363. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Unknown Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Unknown
Unknown position on incident
Non credible / Unsubstantiated
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 Raqqah, Syria
Location accuracy
1 m
Unknown Strike Report
For December 25th-28th, Russia has reported that “In the course of three days, since December 25, the Russian aviation group has performed 164 combat sorties engaging 556 terrorists’ objects located in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”
Unknown Civilian Casualty Statement
2017-07-07
"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."
U.S.-led Coalition Assessment
Suspected belligerent
U.S.-led Coalition
U.S.-led Coalition position on incident
Not yet assessed
U.S.-led Coalition Strike Report
For Dec 25th-26th, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqah, one strike [British] wounded an ISIL fighter." For 26th-27th: " Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes destroyed three ISIL excavators, two ISIL bulldozers, and damaged an ISIL excavator."

Media From Sources (5)