Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4247

Incident date

December 16, 2019

Location

بنش,, Binnish town, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

As many as three civilians, two children (siblings) and a woman, were killed and five family members, including a child and a woman, were injured in as many as six alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the outskirts of the town of Binnish, Idlib Governorate on December 16th 2019, according to local media reports.

Several sources named the dead children as Muhammad Ahmad Al-Qazq and Hajar Ahmed Al-Qazq. The source, Ahmad Abd, gave their ages as seven and nine respectively. One source, Al Bayan, said that a woman had been killed in the strike carried out by the Russian military.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported: “The sibling children Hajar and Mohammad Ahmad al Qazaq, displaced from al Ghadafa village in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate, were killed as fixed-wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles near a tent where they stay with their family south of Binnesh city in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on December 16, 2019”

@Zshikhani posted an image of a severely damaged house where, the source said, the children had lived.

@khaleedalkhteb said “the rest of the family were seriously injured”. @Emusa87 put the number of family members injured in the attack at five.

Idlib Plus reported: “Two children were killed and five other civilians were wounded, including a child and a woman, this morning, Monday [Dec 16th], as a result of Russian warplanes targeting a grain sieve and a camp for displaced people with six airstrikes”.

Several of the sources specified that six strikes had been carried out. The Step News Agency and Zamanalwsl both reported that vacuum missiles had been used.

An opposition air traffic tracking observatory said that Russian warplanes had carried out the strikes, according to Anadolu Agency.

@media_idlib reported that members of the Syrian White Helmets had retrieved the bodies of the deceased and transported the injured to hospitals for treatment.

Ahla Shabaab said that the planes that struck Binnish belonged to the Syrian regime, the vast majority of the sources, however, attributed the strikes to the Russian military.

The strike reportedly took place in the morning.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

7 years old male Brother of Hajar al Qazaq. Displaced from al Ghadafa village in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate killed
9 years old female Sister of Mohammad Ahmad al Qazaq. Displaced from al Ghadafa village in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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 (52) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (24) [ collapse]

  • Siblings Mohammad Ahmad al Qazaq, 7, and Hajar al Qazaq, 9, who were killed in a series of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes that targeted their home on the outskirts of the town of Binnish, Idlib Governorate on December 16th, 2019. (Uploaded by @khaleedalkhteb)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image of a wounded or deceased child, possibly that of Mohammad Ahmad al Qazaq, that was uploaded following a series of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Binnish, Idlib Governorate on December 16th, 2019. (Uploaded by @Emusa87)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on the outskirts of Binnish, Dec 16th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on the outskirts of Binnish, Dec 16th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on the outskirts of Binnish, Dec 16th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on the outskirts of Binnish, Dec 16th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • More pictures from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish, Dec 16th 2019.
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Binnish town, Dec 16th 2019 (via SNN)
  • An image purporting to show the home of Mohammad Ahmad al Qazaq, 7, and Hajar al Qazaq, 9, who were killed in a series of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Binnish, Idlib Governorate on December 16th, 2019. (Uploaded by @Zshikhani)
  • An image that was uploaded alongside a tweet detailing alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Binnish, Idlib Governorate on December 16th, 2019. (Uploaded by @mohmad_rasheed)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image that was uploaded alongside a tweet detailing alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Binnish, Idlib Governorate on December 16th, 2019. (Uploaded by @mna)
  • An image uploaded alongside a story about alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Binnish, Idlib Governorate on December 16th, 2019. The caption reads: "The effects of the shelling on Idlib countryside this morning" (Uploaded by Zamanalwsl)

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
    2 – 3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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 (52) [ collapse]