Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1524

Incident date

November 3, 2016

Location

الرستن, Ar-Rastan, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.93, 36.74 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between seven and eight civilians, including as many as six children, were killed and more than 10 others were wounded in an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on Al Rastan, according to local media. Local sources were conflicted in who was to blame for the airstrikes, with the majority of sources – including Eldorar, Ara News and Syria News Network – blaming Syrian regime planes for the massacre. The Local Coordination Committee in Syria, however, attributed the strikes to Russia.

A member of the Rastan civil defence team told Syria News Desk “regime aviation struck two neighbours…with two airstrikes, which led to the deaths of three children and their father and three more children from two other families.”

According to some local sources, the airstrikes were rocket propelled grenades and specifically struck civilian homes.

Many of those injured reportedly had to endure amputations because they were struck when the airstrikes hit their houses.

Images posted by @ahmedab45240253 and videos posted by Qasioun show very graphic scenes of the bodies of the children that were killed by the airstrikes, with many of them appearing to be younger than 10-years-old.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Ayman Idris
Adult named by Muslm killed
Fadl Idris
Child named by Muslm killed
Salam Idris
Child named by Muslm killed
Hala Idris
Child named by Muslm killed

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Nur al-Ahmad
Child male named by Muslm killed
Abdel Moneim Ammar Adam
Child male named by Muslm killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • (5–6 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing the bodies of dead children who were killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Ar Rastan, 3rd November 2016. (via Qasioun news agency)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing the bodies of dead and inured children in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Ar Rastan, 3rd November 2016. (via Qasioun news agency)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A photograph of a child killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Ar Rastan, 3rd November 2016. (via @ahmedab45240253)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A photograph of a child killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Ar Rastan, 3rd November 2016. (via @ahmedab45240253)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A photograph of a child killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Ar Rastan, 3rd November 2016. (via @ahmedab45240253)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A photograph of a child killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Ar Rastan, 3rd November 2016. (via @ahmedab45240253)

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 November 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
    6 – 8
  • (5–6 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]