{"id":41625,"date":"2017-09-20T13:01:37","date_gmt":"2017-09-20T13:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/news_and_analysis\/raqqa-bombardment\/"},"modified":"2018-11-29T05:09:33","modified_gmt":"2018-11-29T05:09:33","slug":"raqqa-bombardment","status":"publish","type":"news_and_analysis","link":"https:\/\/airwars.org\/news\/raqqa-bombardment\/","title":{"rendered":"Intensity of Coalition’s Raqqa bombardment greater than for all of Afghanistan, official data shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

US-led Coalition forces are firing record numbers of bombs, missiles and artillery shells into besieged areas of Raqqa city – part of a bloody campaign to dislodge so-called Islamic State (ISIS) from its self proclaimed capital. The assault is also reportedly killing hundreds of trapped civilians every month – a charge the Coalition strenuously denies.
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On average one Coalition bomb, missile or artillery round was fired into Raqqa every eight minutes during August, according to official data provided to Airwars. A total of 5,775 bombs, shells and missiles were launched by US-led forces into the city during the month in support of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the ground. <\/span><\/p>\n

By way of comparison, US-led forces fired ten times more munitions into Raqqa during August<\/span> than were released by US aircraft across all of Afghanistan for the same month (503), according to recent data issued by Air Force Central Command (AFCENT)<\/a><\/span>.
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Bloody fight<\/strong><\/p>\n

The SDF is now in the fourth month of a slow and bloody battle to seize Raqqa from ISIS. Yet even after announcing the capture of more than half of the city, Coalition data shows record numbers of munitions being fired – higher even than were loosed in any one month (5,500 in March) during the tough fight for West Mosul, an area far larger than Raqqa. <\/span><\/p>\n

The intensity of the air and artillery bombardment on Raqqa – primarily by US forces – closely correlates with high casualty reports on the ground. In July, munition use and likely civilian casualties from Coalition strikes in Raqqa fell by 32 percent and 33 percent respectively. In August both munition use and reported casuialties rose steeply again. <\/span><\/p>\n

Airwars monitoring indicates that at least 433 civilians likely died as a result of Coalition actions at Raqqa during August<\/a><\/span> — more than double the number of estimated fatalities the previous month. In total more than 1,000 civilians have now credibly been reported killed since the assault began on June 6th, according to Airwars monitoring. The UN reports that an estimated 25,000 civilians remain trapped in Raqqa, prevented from fleeing by ISIS. <\/span>Much of the city\u2019s infrastructure, including its medical system, has also<\/span> largely being reduced to rubble. <\/span><\/p>\n

On September 19th, the Coalition told Airwars that its own estimates were that between 15,000 and 18,000 civilians still remained inside the city under ISIS control. <\/span>Officials say the civilians should leave the city if possible. <\/span>“If they can do so safely, the SDF has instructed civilians to flee their homes to SDF-controlled areas of Syria for relocation to IDP camps,\u201d said Coalition spokesman Col. Thomas Veale.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

International agencies and NGOs are urging the US and its allies to do far more to protect from harm those civilians still trapped at Raqqa. \u201cUsing explosive weapons such as bombs and missiles in populated areas poses a predictable risk to civilians,\u201d said Ole Solvang, deputy director of the emergencies division at Human Rights Watch. \u201cThe amount of munitions the coalition is firing into Raqqa raises serious concerns<\/span> whether the coalition is taking all feasible precautions to minimize civilian casualties.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Aftermath of an alleged Coalition strike on Raqqa’s Malahi neighbourhood, which was reported to have killed up to 40 civilians, August 22nd 2017 (via Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently)<\/p><\/div>\n

‘Operational need’<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among those credibly reported by local monitors as killed in August at Raqqa were at least 74 children and 62 women — both estimates up considerably from the previous month. To date, more than 180 children<\/span> have likely been killed in Coalition air and artillery strikes since June 6th, according to an Airwars assessment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Coalition – which has so far conceded only four civilian deaths during the battle for Raqqa – maintains that despite the surge in munition use, the minimizing of <\/span>civilian casualties is <\/span>their top concern. The uptick in bombs and missiles, said\u00a0a Coalition\u2019s spokesperson, was a product of \u201coperational need and will ebb and flow as the operation does.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe number of strikes and munitions also vary based on several other factors, such as the number of available targets, partner force operational tempo, enemy movement, and the weather,\u201d said Col Veale. \u201cThe Coalition adheres to strict targeting processes and procedures aimed to minimize risks to non-combatants.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe avoidance of civilian casualties is our highest priority when conducting strikes against legitimate military targets with precision munitions, unlike the indiscriminate nature of ISIS tactics which result in an enormous number of avoidable civilian deaths,\u201d Veale wrote in a statement to Airwars. \u201cThe Coalition will not abandon our commitment to our partners because of ISIS\u2019s inhuman tactics terrorizing civilians, using human shields, and fighting from protected sites such as schools, hospitals, religious sites and civilian neighborhoods\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Read our full Coalition and Russia casualty assessment for August 2017<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

For its part, ISIS has been repeatedly documented as placing civilians in extreme danger. Non combatants are held against their will in areas under Coalition fire, with ISIS using them as so called ‘human shields.’ Civilians are also regularly fired on by ISIS fighters if they try to flee. <\/span><\/p>\n

During the recent battle for Mosul, Amnesty International reported<\/a><\/span> that civilians were welded into homes, or ringed<\/span> <\/span>with booby traps. Those attempting to escape were often killed. In a recent response to Airwars research, the outgoing Coalition commander Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend cited such tactics.<\/span><\/p>\n

“They booby trap houses, they weld doors shut to hold civilians hostage, and they shoot civilians that attempt to flee to the safety of our partners\u2019 lines,\u201d he wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Raqqa researchers at the NGO Physicians for Human Rights<\/a><\/span>, civilians are afraid to leave their homes — even if it is to retrieve a wounded civilian or dead body. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, our contacts on the ground are merely begging for time between the relentless bombings to at least be able to retrieve their wounded or dead family members from the rubble,\u201d <\/span>said Racha Mouawieh<\/span><\/a><\/span>, lead Syrian researcher at Physicians for Human Rights.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBecause Raqqa is ISIS\u2019 self-proclaimed capital and main stronghold, coalition forces seem to feel they can totally disregard the lives and dignity of people trapped there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“ISIS has turned buildings that were once hospitals, mosques, and schools into headquarters and weapons caches to take advantage of their protected status,” said Col. Veale. “In accordance with the law of armed conflict, the Coalition strikes only valid military targets, after considering the principles of military necessity, humanity, proportionality, and distinction.”<\/p>\n

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"Al-Mansor street" downtown #Raqqa<\/a>. The area has been targeted by tens of airstrikes during the last three months.#ISIS<\/a> #SDF<\/a> @Coalition<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/k2Napy5ccK<\/a><\/p>\n

— RaqqaPost \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0642\u0629 \u0628\u0648\u0633\u062a (@RaqqaPost) September 8, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n