Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1246

Incident date

September 10, 2016

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.933456, 36.633803 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a major civilian casualty incident, up to 65 civilians (of which 52 were named) including at least 10 children and 11 women from multiple families died and as many as 100 more were injured in airstrikes on Idlib city, which reportedly centred on a popular vegetable market in the city. The majority of reports blamed Russia, though there were allegations against the Syrian regime – with other sources stating that it was unclear whether the Syrian regime or Moscow were responsible.

Sources published disturbing images of the aftermath of the attack, which led to widespread destruction. There were numerous reports of body parts having been dispersed in the location of the strike, along with references to multiple “body bags”.

The lowest death count was given at 48 civilians by Insaan Rights Watch. According to Sky News Arabic “Russian warplanes shelled in a market in Idlib killing dozens and wounding dozens more. Medical sources say they have counted 25 bodies including women and children ”

Enab Baladi at some more details, reporting that “nine teams of the civil defense were called to Idlib, in addition to the Red Cross. They were able to count 65 bodies along with12 bags of body parts. The teams continued to attempt to rescue people trapped under the rubble.”

Syrian Press Center was among sources that said people had limbs amputated and were “severely burned” in the fire caused by the warplanes.

Other sources blaming Russia included Orient, Jisrtv, Islam Memo and LCCSY.

According to the Shaam News Network, “Russian warplanes targeted the vegetable market during peak hours when hundreds of civilians had gathered to make their purchases ahead of Eid. Missiles targeted civilian homes and shops, resulting in massive destruction to buildings and shops and cars in the market.”

According to the source, the death toll from the massacre reached 63 martyrs, including 16 children and 14 women, plus 12 missing people, including eight children who are considered dead. Additionally, some 70 civilians were wounded, filling hospitals in the city and its countryside”.

However, the source KWdeirwaza – who put the death toll at 60 including 22 children – attributed the event to regime jets. A number of other sources didn’t apportion blame.

Omar_madaniah, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “Rami Abdur-Rahman, the director of the Syrian observatory, says the warplanes could not be identified in order to keep Russia away from being accused.”

Jabal ALzaweya listed the following civilian fatalities and names of some of the missing. In addition the source reported six other unidentified bodies found, including three children, twelve body bags of body-parts and 100 wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Amer Naf’e Ghafir
Age unknown killed
Noor Aldeen Abdul-Kader Ghafir
Age unknown killed

Family members (2)

Hisham Ali Wahob
Age unknown killed
Adnan Mohammed Wahob
Age unknown killed

Family members (4)

Sidra A’afara
Child female killed
Abdulkarim A’afara
Child killed
Mohammed A’afara
Child male killed
Sahar Wahid A’afara
Adult female killed

Family members (4)

Hasan Mish’hel Hawwa
Age unknown male killed
Su’ad Hawwa (wife of Hasan Mish’hel Hawwa)
Age unknown female killed
Mish’hel Hawwa
Age unknown female killed
Musa Hawwa
Age unknown killed

Family members (2)

Samer Hamdoon
Age unknown From Binnish killed
Mother of Samer Hamdoon
Adult female From Binnish killed

Family members (2)

Ahmad Mahmood Aswad (Shikh Yousef)
Age unknown male killed
Hamdi Reyad Aswad
Age unknown killed

Family members (2)

Samer Subhi Hamdoun
Child killed
Sabhi Hamdoun
killed

Family members (2)

Khaled Bitar
Age unknown missing
Mahmood Bitar
Age unknown male missing

Family members (3)

Shaza Abid
Child female missing
Mohammed Kadro Abid
Child missing
Zizik Abid
Child missing

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Malnadi
Age unknown male killed
Raed Ahmad Ghassan Abed
Age unknown killed
Thuraya Ibrahim Aswad
Child female killed
Hussam Khaled Shikhouni
Age unknown killed
Kamal Mohammed Shameya
Age unknown male killed
Mustafa Abdul-Kader Hijazi
Age unknown male killed
Mohammed Khaled Haser
Child male killed
Ali Mo’adal
Age unknown male killed
Mufid Sawwan
Age unknown killed
Abdul-Karim Zidani
Age unknown male killed
Sana’a Malani
Child female killed
Ahmad Ali Men
Age unknown male killed
Huda Salim
Child female killed
Mustafa Mukahal
Age unknown male killed
U’la Jbara
Age unknown female killed
Khulud Haj Sattuf
Age unknown female killed
Samar Al-Basha
Age unknown female killed
Ghalya Zidani
Age unknown killed
Alya’a Saleem
Age unknown female killed
Abdullah Shamiya
Age unknown male killed
Ibrahim Saleem
Age unknown male killed
Qamar Abdullah Hamrosh
Age unknown female killed
Bassam Ghumeid
Child killed
Hayfa’a Malandi
Age unknown female killed
Fatin Hallak
Age unknown female killed
Mayada Hallak
Age unknown killed
Hala Akdah, daughter of Fatin
Age unknown female killed
Ibrahim Khasara
Age unknown male killed
Ibrahim Raji Zidani
Age unknown male killed
Rajaa Najjar
Age unknown killed
Abdo Mukahal
Child missing
Noor Hajjar
Child missing
Wasim Ghafir
Child missing
Zahra Zahra
Child female missing
Mohammed Ayman Aswad
Age unknown male missing
Mohammed Fawzi Bzara
Age unknown male missing
Raghda Mohammed Salim
Child missing

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Idlib market (ادلب، سوق الخضار), within the city of Idlib (إدلب), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.933456, 36.633803. 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
    52 – 65
  • (10–22 children11–14 women14–16 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–100
  • 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 (39) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (18) [ collapse]

  • 'The children Seydra, Mohammad, & Abdul Karim Afara died in alleged Russian warplanes missiles fired on Vegetables market in Idlib city, September 10, 2016.' (via SN4HR)
  • A man runs down a street in Idlib with a civilian child in his arms - the aftermath of suspected Russian shelling on the city (via Enab Baladi)
  • Local people survey the scene whilst a digger works through the rubble in Idlib city - the impact of suspected warplane shelling (via KWdeirwaza)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A little girl wounded in Idlib city following suspected Russian strikes (Tweet via @1963Mhmd) [Page no longer available accessed via Airwars archive]
  • A dismembered human hand is held up to signify the human cost of alleged Russian strikes on Idlib city (Tweet via @Gulfshield1)
  • Local people prepare for Eid al-Adha amongst the rubble in Idlib city (Tweet via @ AnmedAlrihawi)
  • Footage of Idlib city following the mass civilian casualty incident allegedly caused by Russian warplane shelling (Youtube via Jisirtv)
  • An elderly woman is carried down the street by a member of The White Helmets whilst a blaze rages behind - the aftermath of suspected Russian strikes on Idlib city (via Jisirtv news)
  • The White Helmets rescue civilians from the rubble in Idlib city following suspected Russian warplane shelling (via Islam Memo)
  • A close up of debris and destruction on the streets of Idlib city following suspected Russian warplane shelling (Tweet via @QabiQalel)
  • Local people stand around a burnt out vehicle in Idlib city - the results of alleged Russian warplane shelling (Tweet via @Almogaz)
  • The baby Samer Subhi Hamdoun allegedly died in Russian warplane shelling at the vegetable market in Idlib city (via SN4HR)
  • Body parts of the victims of suspected Russian warplane shelling on Idlib city (via SN4HR)
  • The vicitms of alleged Russian massacre line the streets of Idlib city (via SN4HR)
  • The impact of a mass civilian casualty event - body bags line the streets of Idlib, the source alleged Russia culprit (via SN4HR)
  • SN4HR report entitled: ‘no less than 49 massacres in September 2016 including 46 at the hands of the russian and Syrian regimes’ - details the events in Idlib on Saturday September 10th (PDF via SN4HR) [Arabic]

  • SN4HR report entitled: ‘no less than 49 massacres in September 2016 including 46 at the hands of the russian and Syrian regimes’ - details the events in Idlib on Saturday September 10th (PDF via SN4HR) [English]

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 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
    52 – 65
  • (10–22 children11–14 women14–16 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–100
  • 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 (39) [ collapse]