Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS234

Incident date

December 6, 2015

Location

زملكا, Zamalka, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5261, 36.35385 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 20 civilians were reported killed – including 6 to 7 children and 2 women – and about 40 injured in an alleged Russian airstrike with vacuum missiles on Zamalka, according to multiple sources.

Al Jazeera reported that 12 civilians including two children died in the attack, while All4Syria said nearly 50 non-combatants died or were injured when four rockets were fired on Zamalka, stating that most of the casualties were women and children. It also said  activists who documented the alleged attack were unable to identify all of the dead because so many bodies were torn apart in the raid, with parents finding four decapitated children.

An All4Syria.info report added that the White Helmets moved the wounded to medical points in the region, while other medical sources suggested that the death toll increased because of the limited resources of the medical points.

The White Helmets themselves said they had spent nearly four hours attending the site and found the body of a woman under the rubble of buildings in a residential area, while another body was found on one of the roofs of surrounding buildings. They also reported that a child died as a result on injuries, putting the death toll at 16.

The Shaam News Network also put the death toll at 16 after a residential area was targeted. Like All4Syria.info, they stated that many of the bodies were unrecognisable, concluding that “this has always been the city similar to the bombing amid reports targeting popular market and the fall of the martyrs and the wounded.”

The victims have been named by VDC and Syria 2011.

Two unidentified victims were also listed:

Unidentified 1 – adult, male

Unidentified 2 – adult, male

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Fadi Basel Harata
Child male killed
Saleh Harata
Child male killed
Mohammad Harata
Child male killed
Basel Harata
Adult male killed
Basima Harata
Adult female killed

Family members (2)

Samer Nizar al-Baghdadi
Child male killed
Aamer Nizar al-Baghdadi
Child male killed

Family members (2)

Mahmoud Zain Adnan al-Otri
Adult male killed
Adnan Ahmad al-Otri
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Hala al-Rhayem
Child female killed
Bassam al-Rahim
Adult male killed
Hassan Kbara
Adult male killed
Kamel al-Ghosh
Adult male killed
Qamara or Amra al-Ajhar
Adult female killed
Nizar al-Baghdadi
Adult male killed
Kamra Al Ajhar
Age unknown killed
Bassila Hrata
Age unknown female [“Her body was recovered from under the rubble this morning.”] killed
Mohammad Majed Kbara
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18 – 20
  • (7 children3 women9 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets pulling a dead child out of the rubble, 6 December 2015. (via, SNN)
  • The immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian airstrike on Zamalka. (via, White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has published no known record of its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18 – 20
  • (7 children3 women9 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]