Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3134

Incident date

March 1, 2018

Location

كفربطنا, Kafr Batna, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.514529, 36.374577 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, including a young girl, were killed and dozens were wounded in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on the town of Kafr Batna, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

@saqbani1972adam, who reported that the strikes hit residential areas, said that three were killed and “dozens” were left wounded.

The three victims were identified by name by several sources. Among the victims was a young girl who was killed along with her father.

Additionally, a judge from eastern Ghouta was also killed by the strikes. Smart News Agency cited The Revolutionary Judicial Council in Damascus who on Friday, March 2nd, stated that one of its judges was killed in the bombing.

Four days after the strike, on March 4th, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported a fourth victim, as a man named Zaher Kharboutli, an activist in the relief field, who died on March 4th due to the wounds he sustained by the strikes on March 1st.

However, as his name is rather similar to the judge victim, Maher Kharbatli, it cannot be excluded that the reports are talking about the same victim. However, as of now, they will be counted as two separate victims.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. The Violations Documentation Center attributed blame to the Syrian regime “and its affiliates” while Smart News Agency identified Russia as responsible.

Meanwhile, both Qasioun News and SN4HR attributed blame to both Russia and the Syrian regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Adult male killed
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male nicknamed Abu Adnan killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 child2–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The girl Salam al-Dabbas was killed by the contested airstrikes in Kafr Batna, Damascus, March 1st, 2018 (via VDC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of Ali Dabbas and his daughter Salam Dabbas, both killed in the contested airstrikes in Kafr Batna, Damascus, March 1st, 2018 (via KafarBatna.Coordination)
  • Zaher Kharbotli was killed by the wound he sustained in the contested airstrikes in Kafr Batna, Damascus, March 1st, 2018 (via SN4HR)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

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 March 1st - 31st 2018.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 child2–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]