Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS060

Incident date

October 19, 2015

Location

بشرفة, Bisharfeh, Latakia, Syria

Geolocation

35.701856, 36.199383 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a reported mass casualty incident, at least 15 and as many as 57 civilians were killed in a Russian airstrike on the town of Bisharfeh in the Jabal al-Akrad area. Many of the victims were reported to be women and children.

Al Khaleej cited a local civil defence official: “The shelling came from a Russian aircraft on villages under the control of the opposition in the eastern countryside of the province of Latakia, killing 42 people and wounding dozens. The wounded were taken to the field hospital in the region.” The BBC placed the death toll slightly higher, at 45. However, rebel group the First Coastal Division later told Reuters that 15 non-combatants had died. Others insisted that as many as 57 civilians died.

A senior commander named as Captain Basil Zimmu was also killed along with four other fighters in the attack. The Syrian Observatory also later noted that the dead included “fighters from the rebel and Islamist factions with their families, one of them a chief of staff in a rebel division. The death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bazeena (بزينة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.701856, 36.199383. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 57
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia confirms carrying out strikes in Lattakia governorate on October 19th-20th 2015: “The Russian pilots carried out 55 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase engaging 60 targets in the Hama, Idlib, Lattakia, Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor provinces.” No further details were given.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 57
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown

Sources (9) [ collapse]