Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1216

Incident date

September 3, 2016

Location

خان السبل, Khan al Subbul, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.753927, 36.770468 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians died and as many as 20 were wounded in airstrike on Khan Al-Subbul in Idlib governorate, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

In one report, LCCSY blamed the regime but then appeared to change its position and point towards Russia.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) initially attributed the event to “government warplanes and its allies missiles”, putting the death toll at five.

However, a subsequent SN4HR report pointed to Russia, reporting that “fixed-wing warplanes we believe are Russian fired missiles loaded with cluster bombs on a gathering of vehicles near the international highway in Khan Al Sobol. The town is jointly controlled by armed opposition factions and the Fateh Al Sham Front. Five civilians were killed and about 20 others were wounded when a number of vehicles were burnt.”

Syrian Press Centre said that phosphorous bombs had been dropped on the town, leading to injuries, though it didn’t apportion blame.

The lowest death count was given by Radio Al Kul and Halab Today, who said that just one civilian died. Both sources held Russia responsible for the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–20
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • 'Image of remnants of flammable weapons dropped by government warplanes and its allies on Khan Al Subbul town in Idlib governorate, September 3, 2016.' (via SN4HR)
  • ‘no less than 49 massacres in September 2016 including 46 at the hands of the russian and Syrian regimes’ - SN4HR report details the alleged Russian attacks on Khan Al Subbul (PDF via SN4HR) [Arabic]

  • ‘no less than 49 massacres in September 2016 including 46 at the hands of the russian and Syrian regimes’ - SN4HR report details the alleged Russian attacks on Khan Al Subbul (PDF via SN4HR) [English]

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–20
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]