Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3421

Incident date

May 2, 2018

Location

كفرزيتا, Kafr Zita, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3747033, 36.5923691 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was reported killed and several other civilians injured, all believed to be medical staff, in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafr Zita Specialized Hospital in Kafr Zita, Hama, Syria on May 2nd, 2018 according to local sources. Baladi News said the hospital was targeted with four raids.

SMART News reported that “Russian warplanes bombed Kafr Zita Specialized Hospital in the northern suburb of Hama, killing one of the staff of the hospital and injuring others, also from the medical staff, in addition to the destruction of the hospital.”

Baladi News identified the victim as Fatima Hamsho, aka (Um Ala’a). Their news read: “The mother of the rebels and the sister of the first martyr in Halfaya, Fatima Hamsho, Um Ala’a, joined the martyrs of the Syrian revolution on Wednesday with a treacherous raid at the Kafr Zita hospital in the northern suburb of Hama.” Baladi continues: “Um  Ala’a was the sole breadwinner of her large family and her sick child, who died after a period of displacement. She worked in an agricultural workshop to support her family in their exodus. Later, she volunteered to work in a specialized hospital in Kfar Zita, in support of her family. The Specialized Hospital in Kafr Zita, which was chosen by Um Ala’a to be close to the pain of others and provide the services available, was the last place of her struggle, after a raid that destroyed the hospital, killed her and and injured her child Alwan, named after his uncle, the first martyr of the city. She was one of the first women to be wanted to the regime’s Air Intelligence Security branch where she was called “Mother of the Terrorists”, but  she was nicknamed “Mother of the Rebels” by activists in the northern countryside in Hama.”

An image of the hospital in the aftermath of the attack shared by Hadi Abdulla showed a massive amount of destruction caused to the hospital building.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights additionally noted: “the bombardment that hit Kafr Zita hospital caused serious material damage to it and sabotaged its equipment, where the hospital now is out of service as a result of the large demolition in its building, also the bombardment caused the death of one of the female workers in the hospital and injured others, but it is not known so far whether the warplanes that targeted the hospital are Russian warplanes or if they belong to the regime.”

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Fatima Hamsho (Um Ala'a) in her fifties, was reported killed in a raid on KafrZaita hospital on May 2nd, 2018 (via Baladi News).
  • Kafrzaita specialized hospital destroyed after an alleged Russian airstrike on May 2nd. 2018 (via Hadi Abdullah).

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]