Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4039

Incident date

August 17, 2019

Location

دير شرقي, Dier Sharqi, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Seven to eight civilians, including four to eight children and as many as two women, were reported killed in alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on Dier Sharqi, Idlib, on August 17th.

A number of sources stated that all casualties were from the same family, and included only women and children.

A tweet by @zamanalwsl identified that “7 dead and dozens of wounded, most of them women and children.”

Shaam News reported “a horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime’s warplanes in the eastern town of Deir Sharqi, Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded.”

According to Step News Agency, the “seven people who lost their lives in the aerial bombardment of the town of Deir al-Sharqi are all from the same family, namely the family of Hamoud Ibrahim Hamoud, known as “Abu Moaz”, namely: Ibrahim Hamoud Al-Hamoud (child), Majd Hamoud Al-Hamoud, Mohammed Hamoud Al-Hamoud (child), Ahmad Hamoud Hamoud (child), Hamsa Hamoud Hamoud (child), Hudaiba Hamoud Hamoud (child), and Ghada Hamoud Hamoud (the mother).

Meanwhile, Smart News stated that the attack killed “five children, their mother, and another woman”, and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the killing of “a woman and her 6 children.”

A tweet from @ammarjaber8 described children waking up stuck under the roofs of their homes from the damage from the airstrikes and videos and images show children being rescued from debris by White Helmets.

A video posted by @HadiAlabdallah shows the moment that the airstrike hit the building and the reverberations and smoke that it immediately caused.

Sources predominantly attributed the attack to the Syrian regime, yet a number named both Russian forces and the Syrian regime in reporting the incident. A tweet from @ammarjaber8 and other sources blame Russia only for the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Child killed
Child killed
Child killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (5–8 children1–2 women)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (34) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (31) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets attend the scene of an alleged regime or Russian airstrike on Dier Sharqi, August 17th (via White Helmets)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image caption translation: "A horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime's warplanes in the eastern town of Deir in the sharqi in countryside of Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded." (via Shaam News)
  • Image Caption: "Syrian regime committed a massacre in al Deir al Sharqi village in Idlib, on August 17 SNHR: at least six civilians (five children and their mother) were killed as Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes fired missiles on north of al Deir al Sharqi village in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on August 17, 2019." (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Image Caption Translation: "Four children and two women were killed and two others were injured in a horrific massacre committed by warplanes after targeting civilian houses in Deir Al-Sharqi town of Idlib countryside this afternoon." (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Image Caption Translation: "Four children and two women were killed and two others were injured in a horrific massacre committed by warplanes after targeting civilian houses in Deir Al-Sharqi town of Idlib countryside this afternoon." (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Image Caption Translation: "Four children and two women were killed and two others were injured in a horrific massacre committed by warplanes after targeting civilian houses in Deir Al-Sharqi town of Idlib countryside this afternoon." (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Image Caption Translation: "Four children and two women were killed and two others were injured in a horrific massacre committed by warplanes after targeting civilian houses in Deir Al-Sharqi town of Idlib countryside this afternoon." (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Image caption translation: "7 martyrs of civilians from the same family as a result of the Syrian warplanes targeting Al-Deir Al-Sharqi town of southern Idlib countryside by air strike." (via @IdlibPlus)
  • Image caption translation: "7 martyrs of civilians from the same family as a result of the Syrian warplanes targeting Al-Deir Al-Sharqi town of southern Idlib countryside by air strike." (via @IdlibPlus)
  • Image caption translation: "7 martyrs of civilians from the same family as a result of the Syrian warplanes targeting Al-Deir Al-Sharqi town of southern Idlib countryside by air strike." (via @IdlibPlus)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image Caption Translation: "7 Martyrs, Most of them Children, as a result of Warplanes Shelling with Vacuum Rockets Residential neighborhoods of Deir Al-Sharqi town in Ma'rat Al-Nouman Al-Sharqi countryside, south of Idlib." (via Macro Media Center)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image Caption Translation: "7 Martyrs, Most of them Children, as a result of Warplanes Shelling with Vacuum Rockets Residential neighborhoods of Deir Al-Sharqi town in Ma'rat Al-Nouman Al-Sharqi countryside, south of Idlib." (via Macro Media Center)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image Caption Translation: "7 Martyrs, Most of them Children, as a result of Warplanes Shelling with Vacuum Rockets Residential neighborhoods of Deir Al-Sharqi town in Ma'rat Al-Nouman Al-Sharqi countryside, south of Idlib." (via Macro Media Center)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image Caption Translation: "7 Martyrs, Most of them Children, as a result of Warplanes Shelling with Vacuum Rockets Residential neighborhoods of Deir Al-Sharqi town in Ma'rat Al-Nouman Al-Sharqi countryside, south of Idlib." (via Macro Media Center)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image Caption Translation: "7 Martyrs, Most of them Children, as a result of Warplanes Shelling with Vacuum Rockets Residential neighborhoods of Deir Al-Sharqi town in Ma'rat Al-Nouman Al-Sharqi countryside, south of Idlib." (via Macro Media Center)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image Caption Translation: "7 Martyrs, Most of them Children, as a result of Warplanes Shelling with Vacuum Rockets Residential neighborhoods of Deir Al-Sharqi town in Ma'rat Al-Nouman Al-Sharqi countryside, south of Idlib." (via Macro Media Center)
  • Image Caption Translation: "7 Martyrs, Most of them Children, as a result of Warplanes Shelling with Vacuum Rockets Residential neighborhoods of Deir Al-Sharqi town in Ma'rat Al-Nouman Al-Sharqi countryside, south of Idlib." (via Macro Media Center)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Six to eight civilians, including four to eight children and as many as two women, were reported killed in alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on Dier Sharqi, Idlib, on August 17th (Image from Mus’ab Abo Mohammed).
  • Six to eight civilians, including four to eight children and as many as two women, were reported killed in alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on Dier Sharqi, Idlib, on August 17th (Image from Mus’ab Abo Mohammed).
  • Six to eight civilians, including four to eight children and as many as two women, were reported killed in alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on Dier Sharqi, Idlib, on August 17th (Image from Mus’ab Abo Mohammed).

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (5–8 children1–2 women)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (34) [ collapse]