Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4400

Incident date

October 11, 2021

Location

التفاحية, Al Tuffahiya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.792773, 36.156702 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three civilians were killed and others were injured, one seriously, in alleged Russian or regime strikes with Kornet missiles and/or thermal missiles on the village of Al-Tuffahiya on October 11, 2021.

Zaman Al Wasl reported that three civilians were killed and another one was wounded in regime and Russian militia strikes with a “Kornet” guided missile on a group of people collecting firewood. A Facebook post by Abo Fahed Al Salhani added that they were collecting firewood so that they could sell it to make money for their families.

A tweet by @Omhajr000 provided the names of the three civilians killed: Ahmed Hadid, Ali Qurfaqi, Fadi Rostom.

A cousin of Fadi Rostom, Abo Gaafar, posted a memorial to him on Facebook that included a picture of him.

Enab Baladi identified the injured civilian as having a serious injury and quoted Civil Defense teams as transferring the civilians to the nearest medical point. Nedaa Post and other local sources referred to “several others” injured but not give a specific number.

North-Press Agency added that the group was in a forested area to collect the firewood and the commander of the coastal sector in the Civil Defense, Muhammad Darwicho, told Enab Baladi that the targeting was of people on motorcycles collecting firewood, and not of a car, as was circulated originally.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the strikes, with the majority attributing the strikes to the regime while a few mentioned Russian involvement. A military source in the “Al-Fateh Al-Mubin” operations room explained to “Zaman Al-Wasl” that “the militias linked to Russia and stationed in the “Shalf” castle within the Jabal Al-Akrad region were the ones who targeted the civilian crowds. However, North-Press agency reported that regime forces in the Al-Qalaa area were the ones that launched missiles at Al-Tuffahiya.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Hadid أحمد حديد
Adult injured
Ali Qurfaqi علي قرفاقي
Age unknown injured
Fadi Rostom فادي رستم
Age unknown injured

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Al Tuffahiya (التفاحية), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.792773, 36.156702. 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Civil Defense volunteers treat the victims of a bombing of Al-Tuffahiya on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Image of Fadi Rostom "Abu Muhammad", killed in the bombing of Al-Tuffahiya on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Abo Gaafar, his cousin, via Facebook)
  • Edited images of the men killed in the bombing of Al-Tuffahiya on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Abo Fahed Al Salhani via Facebook)
  • Edited images of the men killed in the bombing of Al-Tuffahiya on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Abo Fahed Al Salhani via Facebook)
  • Edited images of the men killed in the bombing of Al-Tuffahiya on October 11, 2021. (Image posted by Abo Fahed Al Salhani via Facebook)

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
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]