Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1595

Incident date

November 16, 2016

Location

حي الأنصاري, Al Ansari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1529125, 37.075864 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One to two civilians died in an alleged Russian or Assad regime air or artillery strike on the Al Ansari neighbourhood of Aleppo, according to multiple local media outlets.

Horrya News reported one civilian killed, as did the sources, Syrian News Desk and @ahdath.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights put the death toll at two and blamed “a warplane” believed to be Russian. Sources attributed blame to Russia and the regime, with some mention of “helicopters” and “artillery shelling”.

The strikes on Al Ansari came as part of an aerial campaign over the whole of Aleppo in which dozens of civilians died according to many local sources.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets respond to the chaos in Al Ansari following suspected Russian airstrikes, November 16th (via Albo Azizi)
  • The White Helmets in Al Ansari search for victims in the rubble and dust caused by suspected Russian airstrikes, November 16th (via Thiqa)

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 specific strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones”.

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 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 – 2
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]