Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS202

Incident date

November 28, 2015

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Shaykhun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.44208, 36.65095 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two sisters and their mother were among four civilians killed in an alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, according to reports.

Local journalist Bassel al Darwish said “Assad’s criminal planes and Russia” were responsible for the deaths. The FSA and the Damascus Centre blamed the regime. And Syria 2011 and the local coordination committee held Russia solely responsible.

The VDC – which blamed “air forces shelling of the city” – has named the four victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult female Name by VDC killed
Child female Name by VDC injured
Child female Name by VDC killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male Name by VDC killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Khan Shaykhun (خان شيخون), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.44208, 36.65095. 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
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    GRAPHIC: The bodies of two sisters killed in AN alleged Russian strike on Khan Sheikhoun, November 28th (via SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Picture of Leen (via SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture of Haneen (via SNN)

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia reported that “In the course of the last week, November 26 – December 4, the Russian aircraft have performed 431 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase making pinpoint strikes on 1458 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]