Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

YS166

Incident date

June 17, 2023

Location

مخيم كويت الرحمة, Kuwait Al Rahma camp, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between three and six civilians, including two women and a child, were injured by alleged Syrian Democratic Forces or Syrian regime missile strikes on Al-Amal camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023.

The Syrian Civil Defense (@SyriaCivilDefe) tweeted that four civilians, including a girl and two women, were injured when missiles launched from areas controlled by the Syrian regime and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) struck the Al-Amal camp near the Kuyet Al-Rahma camp.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that five civilians were injured, and that they were taken to the hospital for treatment while TRT Arabi identified three civilians as being injured. The highest casualty toll was reported by BasNews, which stated that six civilians were injured, in addition to material damage.

Sources were conflicted as to whether the missiles were launched by the Syrian regime or the SDF, with some mentioning only that the missiles came from an area controlled by both while others, such as @alkhabour21, attributed the attack to only the SDF with TRT Arabi (Turkish state broadcasting) specifying that mortar shells were launched from Tal Rifaat. BasNews provided the context that the injuries occurred during an exchange of shelling between the SDF and the Turkish army.

The International Commission for Relief and Development (ANSER) released a statement accusing the SDF of carrying out strikes with four artillery shells on the “Village of Hope 2” camp, which houses displaced people in Afrin, and causing destruction to two houses in addition to damage to ten other houses.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights specified the location as “located in the Jabal al-Khaldiya area near Meryamin village in the suburbs of Afrin city in northwestern Aleppo governorate.”

The @SyriaCivilDefe reported that the strikes caused fear and terror among the residents and children within the camp, who other local sources had said were displaced to the camp because of the earthquake.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Infrastructure
    IDP or Refugee Camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–6
  • 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
    YPG, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Turkish Forces

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A civilian injured by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A civilian injured by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A civilian injured by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civilian casualties as a result of a missile attack by the SDF militia targeting the Land of Hope camp in the countryside of Afrin, north of Aleppo
  • 5 civilians were injured, as a preliminary toll, as a result of the SDF's attack by Militia, SDF, in the Teranda Mountain camps in Afrin, north of #Aleppo.
  • The bombing of al-Amal camp in Jabal al-Khalidiyah in the Afrin region, north of Aleppo
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @thiqanewsagency)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @thiqanewsagency)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @thiqanewsagency)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @thiqanewsagency)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @OrientNews)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile strikes on Kuwait Al Rahma camp in Afrin on June 17, 2023. (Image posted by @OrientNews)

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG 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
    Artillery
  • Infrastructure
    IDP or Refugee Camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–6
  • 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
    YPG, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Turkish Forces

Sources (25) [ collapse]