Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4520

Incident date

June 22, 2023

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the evening of June 22, 2023, Sarmin, a town east of Idlib, was struck by intense artillery, allegedly carried out by the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces and resulting in the death of one woman and the injury of between five and six civilians, including four to five women and a young boy.

According to Baladi News and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, a young woman named Khitam Al Abbas died due to injuries sustained from the attack the next day, June 23rd. In addition, multiple sources report that between five and six civilians were injured, including one young boy. His name has not been found within the sources. The Syrian Civil Defense put the number of injuries at six, including three serious injuries, and added that their volunteers took two of the women to the hospital for treatment. Other sources, including @spc_fr, put the number of injuries at five.

Twitter users @mzmgr941 and @khaleedalkhteb reported the names of five of the women that were injured, which are Jamila Abbas Maasran – seriously injured in the chest, Fatima Khalil Saraqib – light foot injury, Hamida Ahmed Hallaq Sarmin – shoulder injury (good condition), Marah Yassin Al Tarnbeh – light injury, and Faiza Qadr Al Tarnbeh – light hand injury. The shelling affected residential areas, including the vicinity of a school and mosque, according to the Syria Civil Defense. The Syrian Network for Human Rights also reported that one of the shells struck the center of the popular market in the city center.

Baladi News reported that Khitam Al Abbas, the woman who was tragically killed, had been displaced with her family from her hometown of Maasran to Sarman and that her grandmother was among those injured. Twitter user @anasanas84 stateds that the artillery fire came from Syrian regime forces in Saraqib; other sources reported that Syrian regime forces, Russian forces, or both working in tandem are responsible for the strike. A tweet from @anasanas84 mentioned that a rocket launcher was used in the attack.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Marah Yassin Al-Tarnbeh مرح ياسين الترنبة
female injured
Faiza Qadr Al-Tarnbeh فايزة قدر الترنبة
female injured

The victims were named as:

Jamila Abbas Maasran جميلة عباس معصران
Age unknown female injured
Fatima Khalil Saraqib فاطمة خليل سراقب
Age unknown female injured
Hamida Ahmed Hallaq Sarmin حميدة أحمد حلاق سرمين
Age unknown female injured
Khitam Al-Abbas ختام العباس
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Marketplace, Religious Institution, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    6 women were wounded by the bombing of the Assad forces and Russia on the city of Sarmin.
  • Civil Defense volunteers help the victims of alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @abdalazezketaz)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @abdalazezketaz)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @abdalazezketaz)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @abdalazezketaz)
  • Revolution correspondent monitors the effects of the bombing on the city of Sarmin
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The first moments of our teams' response to the bombing that targeted yesterday, Thursday, June 22, the residential neighborhoods and the popular market in the city of Sarmin, northeastern #Idlib.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Woman injured by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @mzmgr941)
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on June 22, 2023. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • The effects of the bombing that targeted the town of Sarmin, east of Idlib. (Image posted by @sawarqi47568)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Marketplace, Religious Institution, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]