Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4529

Incident date

October 31, 2020

Location

تلتونه, Taltuna, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.016907, 36.587482 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reportedly killed and five others were injured after an alleged airstrike by a Russian or Syrian or Iranian drone on agricultural lands in the village of Taltuna, west of  Ma’arat Misrin north of Idlib on the morning of October 31st, 2020 according to local sources.

According to sources including Orient news and Halab Today TV, one civilian was killed and five others were injured and transferred to medical points for treatment after a drone bombed an agricultual area in the vicinity of the city of Ma’arat Misrin. Specifically, the Democratic Union mentioned on Facebook that activists said that a “suicide drone” bombed an “effective olive-picking workshop” in the village of Taltuna, near Ma’arat Maisrin and an activist called Wedad Hamad (@Gurbtwatan) reported that the victims were agricultural workers harvesting olives.

Most of the sources that reported on the incident either did not mention the belligerent behind the attack or stated that the airstrike was by an “unidentified drone”. Few others including the Democratic Union and Masar Press network claimed that the drone was Russian. Sham News as well reported that the Syrian Civil Defence “revealed the nature of the recent strikes in Idlib countryside from a reconnaissance plane believed to be Russian, which targeted an area west of the city of Ma’arat Misrin, pointing out that its bombs are equipped with mines intended for detonation with wires”. On the other hand, a tweet by (@Gurbtwatan) mentioned that the drone likely belongs to the Syrian regime, and another tweet by (@NagiNajjar) claimed that the drone involved in the attack was Iranian.

Note that according to a post by Radio Al-Kul the attack happened while “the entire liberated areas in Idlib governorate were subject to a Turkish-Russian ceasefire agreement after March 5, 2020”, and Masar News network reported that alleged Russian drones “intensified their overflights over the city of Idlib and Jabal al-Zawiya, where they monitor and target any movements of civilians in the area” and added that thousands of civilians in the areas of northwest Syria “go to agricultural lands to pick their crops, in light of the artillery and air bombardment chasing them.”

The incident occured in the morning.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Taltuna (تلتونه), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.016907, 36.587482. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "Southern Idlib, Maarat Misrin - a martyr and 5 wounded due to an Iranian drone targeting a civilian area in the vicinity of Maarat Misrin" (via @NagiNajjar).
  • Suicide drone. Unclear if this photo is of the alleged Russian, Syrian regime or Iranian drone strikes on the town of Taluna on October 31st, 2020 (via @NagiNajjar).

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

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (21) [ collapse]