Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CI865 RS2613

Incident date

October 8, 2017

Location

Al Qaim, Anbar, Iraq

Geolocation

34.3957715, 40.9943684 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to many reported, two brothers were killed in Al Qaim or al Hari in Syria, near the Iraqi border. Reports were contested: one source implied that Iraqi aircraft may have been responsible, while a number of sources identified Russia as the culprit, one source attributed the attack to the Coalition and others did not apportion blame. The Coalition itself has reported airstrikes in the vicinity at the time.

The Euphrates Post reported that the two brothers were killed as a result of an air strike targeting the city of Al-Qaim in Iraq today.

It is important to note that a number of sources reported that the brothers were killed in a village southeast of Abu Kamal, either by Coalition or Russian aircraft. A tweet by @Yousef339y noted: Russian occupation aircraft bombing the village of Hari on the border with Iraq.

Additionally, an adult man was reported killed in the same attack as the Al-Zein brothers.

The Violations Documentation Center in Syria stated that the three civilians were killed by international coalition forces.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mohammed Nasser Al-Zein
Child male Via Lawhat Bukmalna‎ FB account killed
Ahmed Nasser Al-Zein
Child male Via Lawhat Bukmalna‎ FB account killed

The victims were named as:

Anwar Hajem
Adult male Via Asaad Al Sattam killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces, Russian Military

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A picture of Mohammed Nasser Al-Zein, killed following an alleged coalition or Iraq forces strike on Al Qaim, Anbar (via Lawhat Bukmalna)
  • A picture of Ahmed Nasser Al-Zein , killed following an alleged coalition or Iraq forces strike on Al Qaim, Anbar (via Lawhat Bukmalna‎)
  • Another picture of Ahmed Nasser Al-Zein , killed following an alleged coalition or Iraq forces strike on Al Qaim, Anbar (via Mohamed Sharif al-Khabour FB)
  • A picture of Anwar Hajem al-Satem, killed following an alleged coalition or Iraq forces strike on Al Qaim, Anbar (via Asaad Al Sattam)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Qaim (القائم), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.3957715, 40.9943684. Due to the limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near al Qaeim, Iraq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 2018

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 7th – 8th the Coalition reported “Near Al Qaim, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a headquarters and a vehicle.”

Iraq Government Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iraq Government Forces
  • Iraq Government Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Iraq Government Forces, Russian Military

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1596

Incident date

October 8, 2017

Location

التوسعية, Ar Raqqah: Tawwassoui'ya neighbourhood, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.959225, 39.002158 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as 26 civilians were killed, including a family of six, in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqah’s Al Tawsuya neighbourhood, according to local media. Despite initial uncertainty of the date, Amnesty reported that the strike occurred on the 8th October 2017. 

In a private message to Airwars, RBSS said the victims died on October 6th. On October 14th, the Syrian Human Rights Committee also named Hamed Obeid Al-Nasser, Hamam Hamid Obaid Al-Nasser and Hamida Abdo Noufal as killed in Coalition bombing, though reporting that the they died on October 13th.

Despite this, on 8th October “At least 26 people, including at least 11 children and five women, were killed by an air strike which destroyed the building they were sheltering in.”

The owner of Qunaitir Building, Ali, told Amnesty International in a testimony that “The victims were all displaced residents who had been forced to flee their homes. They were all sheltering in the basement, but unfortunately it was not enough to protect them.”

He added to his testimony later that “Only the four kids died in this strike and that Aziza Obeida al-Nasser died a month earlier and he buried her in nearby garden. Aziza’s husband disappeared when he went back home to get stuff near Mafraq al-Jezra. One daughter, child, of Aziza survived.”

Seven members of the of Abu Ali al Bariachi family were also killed in the strike. The daughter survived but it is unclear where she went.

In their original assessment of the incident, the Coalition deemed the incident non-credible on the grounds that “The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility” in June 2018. In a second review of the incident on March 10, 2022 in the CJTF-OIR Civilian Casualty Report, the Coalition reported this incident to be “non-credible”, stating that “After review of all available evidence it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike.”

The incident occured at 17:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Hamed Obeida al-Nasser
57 years old male (Abu Ala’) killed
Hamida Abdo Naufel
50 years old female Hamed's wife killed
Hammam
9 years old male Hamed and Hamida's son killed
Ilaf
10 years old female child of of Aziza Obeida al-Nasser (Hamed’s sister) killed
Rihana
6 years old female child of of Aziza Obeida al-Nasser (Hamed’s sister) killed
Nawras
8 years old male child of of Aziza Obeida al-Nasser (Hamed’s sister) killed
Mustafa
4 years old male child of of Aziza Obeida al-Nasser (Hamed’s sister) killed

Family members (6)

Moh Jbein
45 years old male killed
Shadia Jbein
42 years old female Moh's wife killed
Boushra
15 years old female Moh and Shadia's child killed
Bashar
17 years old male Moh and Shadia's child killed
Abboud
11 years old male Moh and Shadia's child killed
Ibrahim
10 years old male paralysed, Moh and Shadia's child injured

Family members (3)

Abdelkhalaq al-Abqaa
48 years old male killed
Adel Hakim
52 years old male Abdelkhalaq's brother killed
al-Abded
46 years old male killed

Family members (3)

Umm Zeid
Adult female one of her sons was mentally disabled killed
Umm Zeid son
12 years old male killed
Umm Zeid son
6 years old male killed

The victims were named as:

Anas Barazi
42 years old male killed
Mohammed Ousama al-Khabour
17-18 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    26
  • (11 children5 women10 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Abdul khaliq Al-Abaka, a victim of alleged US-led Coalition strikes on the city of Raqqah, 8th October 2017. (via RBSS)
  • Mohammed Anwar al-Jabeen, his wife and four children, victims of alleged US-led Coalition strikes on the city of Raqqah, 8th October 2017.
  • Mohammed Anwar al-Jabeen, ictim of alleged US-led Coalition strikes on the city of Raqqah, 8th October 2017.

Geolocation notes

Initial reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Tawassiya (التوسعیة) in the city of Raqqa. The generic coordinates for this neighbourhood are: 35.9633318, 38.9806321. The incident likely occurred in the South East of Al Tawassiya (التوسعیة) area, as this is where the fighting was concentrated at the time. In a more recent Amnesty findings it was reported that Qunaitir Building was struck, Between 20/17/09/29 and 2017/10/10 only some damage can be seen to the building. By 2017/10/05 to 2017/10/10 clear damage can be seen. Coordinates released by the Coalition place the event at 35.95922, 39.00215

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient information on the time and location, Other
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    1 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV0019479425
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 10, 2022
  • Jun 28, 2018

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility

  • Oct. 8, 2017, near Raqqah, Syria, via Amnesty International report. After review of all available evidence it was determined that more likely than not civilian casualties did not occur as a result of a Coalition strike. 2713/CS1596 37SEV0019479425

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Awaiting exact date

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    26
  • (11 children5 women10 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr104

Incident date

October 8, 2017

Location

سعود, Saud archaeological area, Marib, Yemen

Geolocation

15.809762, 45.109005 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US drone strike reportedly killed at least four alleged AQAP militants in Raghwan district, Marib governorate, on October 8th 2017. The strike was later confirmed by a US Central Command spokesperson in an email to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which stated that five AQAP militants were killed by a strike in the area on that day. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Several sources, including Associated Press, suggested that, according to local residents and officials, the strike targeted a car near the Saud archaeological area, burning the vehicle and all those inside. Local sources told Al-Masdar Online the same, suggesting that one of those killed was from the Raghwan district.

While most indicated that five were killed in the strike, one Twitter source, @demolinari, suggested that four AQAP militants were killed. According to a Tweet by analyst @JoshuaKoontz, pro-AQAP sources also suggested that four were killed in the strike.

Some sources reported that one of those killed was an AQAP leader in al-Jawf, whom Xinhua named as Mohammed Ammar al-Adani. According to an anonymous provincial security official spoken with by Xinhua, al-Adani had “come from the southern province of Shabwa and had been hiding in a house in Raghwan for more than a month”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–5

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • US Central Command confirmed that a strike in Raghwan district, Marib, killed five alleged AQAP militants on October 8th 2017 (@demolinari, October 8th 2017).
  • The strike reportedly killed an AQAP leader, Mohammed Ammar al-Adani, along with four others in a car (@demolinari, October 8th 2017).
  • The strike reportedly took place near the Saud archaeological area, Raghwan district of Marib governorate (@Intelyse_Arabia, October 8th 2017)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck in the vicinity of the Saud (سعود) archaeological are. @Intelyse_Arabia alleges the location to be within the village of Asdas (أسداس), located south west of Saud. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Saud are: 15.809762, 45.109005.

  • Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck in the vicinity of the Saud (سعود) archeological site. @Intelyse_Arabia alleges the location to be within the village of Asdas (أسداس), located south west of Saud.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces

[Email from CENTCOM to Bureau of Investigative Journalism]
Yes. U.S. forces conducted a precision strike against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula near Marib, Yemen, killing five Al Qaeda terrorists on Oct. 8.

In coordination with the government of Yemen, U.S. forces are conducting a series of sustained counterterrorism operations in Yemen against AQAP to degrade the group's ability to hold territory and coordinate external terror attacks.

CENTCOM Media Desk

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–5

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1590a

Incident date

October 1–5, 2017

Location

Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.96345, 39.00068 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality”, between 11 and 23 civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrike in Raqqa. Although Airwars assesses single sourced incidents as “weak”, researchers have assessed this incident “fair” due to the depth of material provided by Amnesty.

The report summarised that “A coalition airstrike destroyed a one-storey house close to the railway line killing five children and their parents and four neighbours.”

The house was near Sharia al Qitar (close to the railway line – hence then name “Railway Street”) and had a courtyard, according to the field notes.

Iman, Zuhair’s daughter, survived the strike. She said IS fighters were two streets over, on Sharia al Qitar itself. Civilians were prohibited from going there as it was the siege line. She went on to tell Amnesty in a testimony that “As well as my family and the four neighbours, the strike also killed a Kurdish family of 12. They were displaced and I don’t know their names. They were mostly women and children.”

The Kurdish family were allegedly displaced people; their names are unknown but they were all women and children. Iman saw two young children pulled from the rubble.

In their monthly civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition has indicated that the credibility of this civilian harm allegation is in the process of being assessed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Zuhair Juma al Khalaf
60 or older years old male killed
Rabaa’
30-35 years old female Zuhair's wife killed
Mohannad
6 years old male Zuhair’s & Rabaa’s son killed
Abir
5 years old female Zuhair’s & Rabaa’s daughter killed
Yasmine
3 years old female Zuhair’s & Rabaa’s daughter killed
Osama
10 years old male son of second wife killed
Amal
8 years old female daughter of second wife killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmad
Age unknown male neighbour killed
Maha
Adult female neighbour killed
Um Ahmad
Adult female neighbour killed
Unidentified girl
Child female neighbour killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 23
  • (6 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

  • Before strike. (via Amnesty)

  • After strike. (via Amnesty)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Open incident
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Not yet assessed.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 23
  • (6 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Incident Code

RS2589

Incident date

October 3, 2017

Location

الميادين, Mayadeen, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.016667, 40.444167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family of five were killed and dozens more were wounded in air and artillery strikes on Mayadeen, local media reported. Sources attributed the blame to Russia and the Syrian regime.

Alhayat News reported that as many as 30 civilians were killed, however Airwars researchers have concluded this was a separate incident, R2440, on the town of Al A’shara in Al Mayadeen city.

What is clear however, is that the raids “targeted” Al Bal’oum roundabout and Al Arbaeen Street in the town of Al-Mayadeen.

There were as many as eight barrel bombs fired onto the vicinity, according to local media.

Those who were killed were allegedly displaced from Kafr Zita.

The aftermath of the strike left much damage to the local infrastructure including civilian homes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Wafaa Mayouf
Child killed
Safa Mayouf
Child killed
Fatima Mayouf
Age unknown female killed
Shada Mayouf
Adult female mother killed
Hamzah Fayez Al-Satouf
Child killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • An aerial view of the airstrikes on Mayadeen, 3rd October 2017. (via @raedsyrian002)
  • The aftermath of the airstrikes on Mayadeen, 3rd October 2017. (via @DeirEzzor24 )
  • The aftermath of the airstrikes on Mayadeen, 3rd October 2017. (via @DeirEzzor24 )
  • Victims of the airstrike on Mayadeen, 3rd October 2017. (via @MousaAlomar)
  • A news report on the aftermath of the airstrikes on Mayadeen, 3rd October 2017. (via Qasioun)
  • A news report on the aftermath of the airstrikes on Mayadeen, 3rd October 2017. (via RT News)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM094

Incident date

October 2, 2017

Location

مبارك, Mubaraak, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

1.9172773, 44.7731843 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On November 17th 2017, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one.

An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal “is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities.” It therefore did not proactively release information about all of its strikes. It was limited to confirming or denying US operations took place when asked directly for those strikes that were not cleared to be reported in press releases.

The spokesperson would not say specifically where the attacks hit, telling the Bureau that the best they could say was all the unreported strikes were conducted in southern Somalia, “for operational security reasons”.

However in a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM said it had struck what it says were al Shabaab fighters, in the vicinity of Mubaraak.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident only mention that the strike took place in the vicinity of Mubaraak (مبارك), for which the coordinates are: 1.9172773, 44.7731843. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces

Via email from Africom to BIJ, November 17th, 2017:

"The best I can do on the strikes that were not on your list, for operational security reasons, is say they were all conducted in southern Somalia."

FOIA response May 2019:
"10/2/2017: AS fighters IVO Mubaraak, Somalia."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1563 RS2588

Incident date

October 2, 2017

Location

بقرص فوقاني, Bokros Foqani, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.090833, 40.398056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 10 and 12 civilians, including an entire family, died in an airstrike on Bokros Foqani, local media reported. The culprit is currently unclear, though Airwars understands that the Coalition was not bombing in this territory at the time, while Russia reportedly was. Some sources also attributed the blame to the Syrian regime. 

According to Yasser Al-Zatra, “12 civilians, mostly children and women, died as a result of bombing by the American air force to the village of Buqrs Foqani”.

Euphrates Post put the death toll at 10 but didn’t identify the warplanes responsible. In addition to those listed below said that Zuhair al-Ayed’s entire family had died.

However, Step News Agency attributed the event to Russia, putting the death count at 10, “mostly women and children”.

One source reported that the raids struck “Hussein al-Ghandour house, Khader al-Rahil house, Samir al-Karim house, Al-Farabi secondary school, Post office centre, mosque (Issa al Mulla)” as well as some other unknown civilian homes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Zuhair al-Ayed
Adult male killed
Mahran Al-Shatti
Age unknown male killed
Wife of Ammar Al Asmar
Adult female daughter of Mohammed Al Hamdan killed
Mrs. Malikah Al-Ali Al-Thiab
Adult female killed
Hussein Al-Hassan Al-Mallah
Adult male killed
Son of Khaled Al-Hassan Al-Mallah
Age unknown male killed
Asaad Al-Hussein Al-Mallah
Age unknown male killed
Saad Hussein Al-Mallah
Adult male
Daughter of Khaled Hussein Hasan al-Mallah
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 12
  • (3 children1–4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes in Bokros Foqani, 2nd October 2017. (via Al Habiba Bokros Abu Almais)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes in Bokros Foqani, 2nd October 2017. (via @MousaAlomar)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Buqrus Fawqani (بقرص فوقاني), eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, for which the coordinates are: 35.090833,40.398056. Note that Buqrus Fawqani (فوقاني بقرص, upper Bokros) and Buqrus, or Buqrus Tahtani (تحتاني بقرص, lower Buqrus) are neighbouring towns

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 1st-2nd the Coalition reporetd: “Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed two ISIS well heads and a fighting position.Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two headquarters.”

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 12
  • (3 children1–4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (31) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1567a

Incident date

October 3, 2017

Location

Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.959, 38.9999 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality”, 19 civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrike in Raqqa. Although Amnesty researched this incident on the ground, Airwars have decided to grade it “weak” due to the depth of material provided.

The victims were from the Aarouni family and also included neighbours. Five to 13 members of the Aarouni family were killed in a Coalition airstrike on 8th October. See incident CS1634.

The victims in this strike have not been identified. The Amnesty/Airwars report stated that “Some 14 members of the Al-Aarouni family and five of their neighbours were killed by an air strike which hit the building where they were sheltering. The families were displaced from other parts of the city and their neighbours who hosted them and witnessed the strike did not know their full names.”

The neighbour Yaza, told Amnesty in a testimony that “Our next door neighbours had come to stay with us because their house had been bombed the previous day. 19 were killed in that strike.”

The incident occured at 12:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (5–17 children1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

  • Before strike. (via Amnesty)

  • After strike. (via Amnesty)

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

Not yet assessed.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (5–17 children1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition