Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS754

Incident date

April 14, 2016

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult male killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed

The victims were named as:

38 years old male killed
Age unknown male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male Civil engineer killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ar Raqqah (الرقة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.9505639, 39.0094148. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Infrastructure
    Education
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14
  • (3 children1 woman11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (24) [ collapse]

  • Destruction of a street in Raqqa following a raid on April 14trh (via RBSS)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child receives medical treatment after a strike on Raqqa, April 14th (via RBSS)
  • Image showing the airstrikes targeting Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Image showing the airstrikes targeting Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Farouk Mansour, one of the victims of the raids targeting Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Abd al Salam Al Khalaff, victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Ibrahim Hilal al Moussa, victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Issa al Ali al Habib, victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Mohammad Hassan al Hassan, victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)
  • Hajj Kamel Sultan, victim of the airstrikes in Raqqa (via RBSS)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

The Kremlin has issued no public accounts of airstrikes in Syria from April 1st – 30th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Infrastructure
    Education
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14
  • (3 children1 woman11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]