Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1170

Incident date

August 20, 2016

Location

كفر جوم, Kafr Gom, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1116848, 36.9572597 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians including a woman and her children died and as many as dozens more were wounded in an airstrike on Kafr Gom, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime. Many sources noted the use of cluster bombs in the attack – and published images of the remnants of these weapons.

According to the Smart News Agency, Russian warplanes launched raids using cluster bombs on Kafr Gom village in the countryside west of Aleppo, killing three children and a woman, and wounding seven others, in the preliminary toll.”

Other sources blaming Russia included Halab Today (who said that four children and their mother died), Step News Agency and Enabbaladi, who put the death toll as high as six including four children.

There was some confused reporting from the Shaam News Network, who initially pointed at the regime but then appeared to change its position and attribute the event to Moscow.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, AleppoAMC and @AksAlsear were among other sources naming the regime as the culprit.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights “helicopters bombed areas in Kafr Gom”, resulting in the deaths of “at least five people including a woman, her daughter and another child. Others were also injured – most of them women and children.”

A report by Orient said that “dozens more civilians were injured”.

Halab News listed the named victims and also noted two other unknown children casualties. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Diba Aliu
60 years old named by Halab News killed
Mayada Aliu
Child named by Halab News killed

The victims were named as:

Juma Ahmed Hammoud
Child named by Halab News killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kafr Gom (كفر جوم), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.1116848, 36.9572597. 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 – 6
  • (3–4 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (30) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via AMC)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via AMC)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via AMC)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via AMC)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via AMC)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via AMC)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via AMC)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via Halab Today TV)
  • The remnants of cluster bombs reportedly dropped on Kafr Gom, August 20th 2016. (via Aleppo AMC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (3–4 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (30) [ collapse]