Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4281

Incident date

December 22, 2019

Location

معرة النعمان , International road to Ma'arat Al Numan, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between four and seven civilians were killed as the result of an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on a convoy with displaced people on the international road to Ma’arat Al Numan on December 22nd, 2019, according to local sources. On December 28th, a local source reported that one of the victims died of his injuries sustained in the attack.

Step News Agency put the preliminary death toll at three killed civilians and an unknown number of wounded. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that seven civilians were killed.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported the death of the brothers Muhammad and Ahmad Subhi Sharaf al Din, displaced from Taqana village, and their father. Ahmad Okab identified the name of their father: Sobhi Sharaf El-Din.

Eyewitnesses told Smart News Agency that “Russian warplanes targeted the cars of the displaced and an agricultural tractor carrying a displaced family and the furniture of its house in the city of Ma’arat Al Numan (32 km south of Idlib), killing two civilians and wounding another, as a result of which he was transferred to a nearby hospital.”

@abuhuzaifa_ posted a video on Twitter reportedly showing the remains of children burned in the incident.

The Step News Agency correspondent stated that “the Syrian and Russian aviation are trying to cut off the road for civilians trying to get out of the city of Ma’arat Al Numan, by targeting the cars of the displaced people on the international road at the northern entrance to the city”. Shaam News Network added that the bombing happened despite activists’ “escalating calls to stop the shelling and allow civilians to leave”.

On December 28th, 2019, the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that Mustafa Absi al Khalaf died because of wounds he sustained as a result of this incident.

@john_marquee provided the geolocation for the incident.

While nearly all sources pointed to Russian forces, Step News Agency reported that the aircraft that carried out the strikes belonged to the Syrian regime. @HadiAlabdallah pointed out that vacuum missiles were used in the attack.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Age unknown male brother of Ahmad Subhi Sharaf al Din, displaced from Taqana village killed
Age unknown male brother of Muhammed Subhi Sharaf al Din, displaced from Taqana village killed
Adult male first name unknown killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (2 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Destruction after alleged Russian or Syrian regime aircraft bombed a convoy with displaced people on the International Road to Ma'arat Al Numan on December 22nd, 2019 (via Euphrates Post).
  • Displaced woman sitting on the side of the road after alleged Russian or Syrian regime aircraft bombed a convoy with displaced people on the International Road to Ma'arat Al Numan on December 22nd, 2019 (via Shaam News Network).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Video posted on Twitter of reportedly the remains of children burned in an alleged Russian airstrike on a convoy of displaced people on the International Road to Ma'arat Al Numan on December 22nd, 2019 (via @abuhuzaifa_ ).
  • The body of a victim on the side of the road after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the international road to Ma'arat Al Numan on December 22nd, 2019 (via Smart News Agency).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Mustafa Absi al Khalaf, killed in strikes on Maarat al-Numanon December 22, 2019. (Image posted by Syria Today Network)
  • Mustafa Absi al Khalaf, killed in strikes on Maarat al-Numanon December 22, 2019. (Image posted by Mustafa Abu Abdo)
  • Mustafa Absi al Khalaf, killed in strikes on Maarat al-Numanon December 22, 2019. (Image posted by Mustafa Abu Abdo)
  • Mustafa Absi al Khalaf, killed in strikes on Maarat al-Numanon December 22, 2019. (Image posted by Mustafa Abu Abdo)

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
    4 – 8
  • (2 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]