Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1637

Incident date

November 19, 2016

Location

الصاخور, al-Sakhour, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2179122, 37.1892357 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that several civilians were killed and injured following Russia or Assad regime airstrikes targeting the city of al-Sakhour, Aleppo.

Sources did not provide detailed information about the victims, and most sources merely referred to ‘several’ or ‘numbers’ of killed and wounded.

However, several reports mentioned that the city had been struck by chlorine gas, leading to suffocating. For instance, @aboalhodaalhoms said that there were “a number of cases of suffocation among civilians following helicopters dropping explosives containing chlorine poison gas in the Al Sakhour district.” Barrels bombs are known to be used by the regime, meaning that its involvement in this event can’t be ruled out.

Additionally, at least three sources reported the use of cluster bombs in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (9) [ collapse]

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
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (9) [ collapse]