Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS540

Incident date

February 4, 2016

Location

عندان, Anadan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.29353, 37.04466 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Nine civilians including five children were killed in airstrikes on Anadan according to local sources – though reports are conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible, and there is some question as to exactly when certain victims died.

The Shaam News Network reported that three children from one family were killed in a bombardment of Anadan by Russian aircraft.

It said several towns and cities in the northern countryside of Aleppo were targeted, wounding civilians and causing widespread destruction to residential buildings.

Al Jisr TV reported that three children died and others were injured in Russian bombing in Anadan.

Adnan Modlej posted distressing footage from the city which showed several injured children. A resident being filmed said that Anadan suffered more than 50 airstrikes. It does not say who was responsible.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed missiles fired by Assad regime warplanes, putting the death toll at three children.

It published an image of the child Hazem Mohammad Abdul Razzaq Kouraj, saying he was killed by regime warplanes. Hazem is also listed by the Violations Documentation Center, but as killed “due to Russian air forces shelling“.

Nine victims including five children were named by the VDC.

Other reports cast some confusion about when certain victims died. The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies listed 7 deaths in Anadan on February 5, many of which overlap with names listed by VDC as victims from February 4. Between the two days, the Damascus Center lists 9 victims in Anadan – the same as VDC listed for February 4. The Center listed Rawan Hjazi and Bilal Hjazi as dying on February 4. It listed an additional male victim, Othman Ibrahim Hamidi, as dying on February 5. On neither day does it list the child Rama Hjazi. All of those listed were described as victims of Russian strikes.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child female Listed by VDC killed
Child female Listed by VDC killed
Child male Listed by VDC killed
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Child male Listed by VDC killed
Child male Listed by VDC killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Anadan (عندان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.29353, 37.04466. 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
    9
  • (5 children4 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Footage by Adnan Modlej shows major destruction in a civilian quarter of the town and some of the wounded in hospital including children.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of Hazem Mohammad Abdul Razzaq Kouraj (via SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.“ It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (5 children4 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]