Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4257

Incident date

December 17, 2019

Location

معصران, Ma’saran, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Four to seven people, including a woman, were reportedly killed and between ten and seventeen civilians, including two children, injured after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in the village of Ma’saran in the afternoon of December 17th, 2019, according to local sources. The day was referred to as “Black Tuesday” by the local media due to the severity of the major military escalation in Idlib on that day.

Most sources claimed seven civilians died, identifying the names as Abdul-Fattah Ibrahim Al-Abbas and his wife, Sobhia Al-Abdullah, Alaa Abdulsalam Al-Saghir, Abd al-Hakim al-Musa, Jalal Hassani and Duraid Al-Wali. Abdul Fattah Al-Abbas’ wife allegedly passed away hours after the attack due to a stroke. @zamanalwsl reported instead that the attack only caused three casualties. According to Smart News Agency, seventeen civilians were wounded, at least including two children, while @Shahbapress reported merely “about ten wounded civilians”.

While a majority of sources blame the Syrian regime for the attack, a number of sources attribute the strikes to both Russian and Syrian regime forces. Shaam News Network blamed Russian forces for the airstrike.

The attack consisted of three vacuum missiles fired by Syrian regime warplanes according to Orient News. According to @khaleedalkhteb, the belligerents attacked with both areal and ground bombardment.

A reporter of Idlib Media Center said that “the Syrian warplanes type ‘SU22’ targeted the town of Ma’saran, east of Idlib, and the target was direct to the popular market for the town, and the regime forces again targeted the town with heavy artillery that killed civilians”.

Usama Abo Ahmad mourned the death of his cousin posting on Facebook: “The martyr, God willing, my cousin, Jalal Khaled Hassani”.

Video footage shows the immediate aftermath of the incident, documenting several corpses being removed by civilians and White Helmets and the destruction of residential houses.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abdul Fattah Al-Abbas عبدالفتاح ابراهيم العباس
Age unknown male killed
Sobhia Al-Abdullah, Abdul Fattah Al-Abbas' wife صبحية العبدالله , زوجة عبدالفتاح ابراهيم العباس
Age unknown female Died of a stroke several hours after the attack

The victims were named as:

Nour Nazzal نور نزال
Adult male killed
Alaa Abdulsalam Al-Saghir علاء عبدالسلام الصغير
Age unknown male killed
Duraid Al-Wali دريد الوالي
Age unknown male killed
Jalal Hassani جلال حساني
Age unknown male killed
Abd al-Hakim al-Musa بدالحكيم الموسى
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1 woman2–6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–17
  • Causes of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict, 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 (43) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]

  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Macro Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Macro Media Center on Facebook).
  • Destruction after alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Macro Media Center on Facebook).
  • A destroyed motorcycle after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Shaam News).
  • Destruction after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Shaam News).
  • A destroyed vegetable shop after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Shaam News).
  • A destroyed building after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Shaam News).
  • Destruction after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via @zamanalwsl).
  • Civilians inspecting the damage after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via @zamanalwsl).
  • Destruction after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via @zamanalwsl).
  • A destroyed house after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via @zamanalwsl).
  • Two injured children rescued by White Helmets after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Smart News Agency).
  • Desertion and blood stains after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Smart News Agency)
  • Destruction and rubble after an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Ma’saran on December 17th, 2019 (via Smart News Agency)

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1 woman2–6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–17
  • Causes of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict, 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 (43) [ collapse]