Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3313

Incident date

March 20, 2018

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and 14 civilians including two children were reportedly killed and dozens more were injured in an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime forces airstrike on a residential area in Arbeen on March 20th 2018, according to local media resources.

According to the Smart News Agency, “The Great Mosque in the city of Arbeen, east of the capital Damascus, and one of the ancient mosques in Eastern Ghouta, was destroyed after an air strike directly targeted it on March 20, 2018. Three civilians were killed in the aerial bombardment”.

Also a member of the Syria Civil Defense was reportedly injured by a shrapnel in his left hand while he was on duty.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and the Local Coordination Committees of Syria (who put the death toll at seven and then raised it to 14) blamed both the Russian and Syrian forces for the airstrike and the victims, while Smart News Agency and ShahbaPress blamed the Russian forces only for the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

The victims were named as:

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Arbeen (عربين), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.538143, 36.364331. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 14
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Injured civilians in the aftermath of airstrikes, 20th March 2018. (via Damascus countryside White Helmets)
  • Injured member of Syrian Civil Defense while on duty in the aftermath of airstrikes, 20th March 2018. (via Damascus countryside White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 14
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]