Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4239

Incident date

December 7, 2019

Location

بلدة بليون, Balyoun, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between four and 11 civilians, including women and children, were killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on a popular market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019, according to local sources. Around fourteen more non-combatants were injured.

There are many conflicting reports about the number of civilian casualties. The Syrian Civil Defence reported five killed, including four children. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Russian airstrikes on Albesa Market, in the middle of the village, killed at least nine civilians, including two children and a woman.

Tariq Alloush, the director of the Civil Defense Center in the village, told Smart News Agency that “eight people, including three children and a woman, were killed and 14 others, including four children and two women, were wounded by Russian aerial bombardment targeting the popular market in the town of Balyoun”.

Step News Agency reported ten killed civilians, with dozens of injured in a critical state. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that among the nine dead, there were three children and two women.

Three sources provided the names of those killed: Muhammad al-Deeb Abdo al-Hammadi, Abdo Al Hammadi, Ahmed Omar Al-Nabhan, Bilal Mohammed Al Deeb Al Hammadi, Hassan Mohammed Al Deeb Al Hammadi, Aya Muhammad Al-Deeb Al-Hammadi, Umm Omar Al-Homsieh and Majed Muhammad Al-Aboud. 

Orient News reported that Russian aircraft used vacuum missiles to carry out the strike.

According to MMC, the airstrikes also targeted a school. SN4HR added that the airstrikes partially destroyed several shops and severely damaged the market’s facilities. @abuhuzaifa said a building housing Radio Fresh was damaged in the strike.

Sources point to both Russian forces and the Syrian regime as the belligerent of the incident.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 11
  • (2–4 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    13–14
  • 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 (53) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (49) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A young boy is seen following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. The image was uploaded along with a list of names of people killed in the strike. (Uploaded by FSLA)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A young man is seen following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. The image was uploaded along with a list of names of people killed in the strike. (Uploaded by FSLA)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An infant is seen following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. The image was uploaded along with a list of names of people killed in the strike. (Uploaded by FSLA)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child in the hospital after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on Balyoun village, on December 7th, 2019. According to the Syrian Civil Defence, the child arrived in the hospital without any family (SCD on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on Albesa Market, Balyoun village, on December 7th, 2019 (via SN4HR).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the scene after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the scene after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the scene after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the scene after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via EMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Balyoun, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A young man is helped by first responders following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by @_abdulazizketaz curtesy of Agence France-Presse)
  • Two men are seen following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by @_abdulazizketaz curtesy of Agence France-Presse)
  • A young man is helped by first responders following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by @_abdulazizketaz curtesy of Agence France-Presse)
  • A young man is helped by first responders following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by @_abdulazizketaz curtesy of Agence France-Presse)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by SY24)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by SY24)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by SY24)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. (Uploaded by SY24)
  • An alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike struck a market place in Balyoun village, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019. This image of a man was uploaded along side a list of names of people killed in the strike. (Uploaded by FSLA)

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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 11
  • (2–4 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    13–14
  • 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 (53) [ collapse]