(Previous Incident Codes: R3082RS3287)

Between 11 and 30 civilians, among which women and children, were killed in airstrikes on the city of Zamalka on March 16th 2018, as reported by several sources. The belligerent is contested, with sources reporting both Russia as the Syrian regime as responsible for the incident.

The Syrian Revolution reported that “the city of Zamalka has been targeted since the night of Thursday to Friday until this morning [March 16, 2018] with 30 raids by Russian warplanes and 24 barrels (explosives) of aviation helicopters and 25 heavy artillery shells.” Sources report residential areas were targeted.

Whereas some sources, such as Shaam News Network, reported 11 killed, MicroSyria and the Syrian Civil Defence put the death toll at 21.

Yousef Al Ghosh, president of the local city council, reported on Facebook that the “the planes targeted a cellar full of civilians, killing more than 30 civilians and injuring dozens, mostly women and children.”

The Violations Documentation Center in Syria listed 11 adult casualties, among which two women. Other sources stated that children were killed as well.

Twitter user @aboalhodaalhoms reported 50 injured, stating most of them were women and children, whereas the Syrian Civil Defense wrote that around 70 civilians got wounded in the airstrikes.

The White Helmets also reported that there had been 16 warplane raids and that 18 explosive barrels were fired, in addition to sixty artillery shells and rockets. Reportedly, two missiles loaded with cluster bombs and another with burning napalm were used.