Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4540

Incident date

August 16, 2023

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one woman was injured in a residential area on the western outskirts of the city of Sarmin, east of Idlib, because of alleged shelling by Syrian Regime and/or Russian forces in the evening of Wednesday August 16th 2023.

The Syrian Civil Defence and Baladi News reported that civilian property was damaged, a number of livestock were killed and others were also injured in the shelling. In the same tweets, it is stated that the woman was taken to hospital by ambulance which is confirmed in photos from the Syrian Civil Defence.

North Press Agency reported that two people were injured in the villages of Majdaliyya and Sarmin in the countryside east of Idlib, including a woman.

Other sources reported only one injured woman or didn’t mention civilian casualties.

The Syrian Civil Defence claimed that the belligerents were both the Syrian Regime and Russia and Baladi news alleged that Iran was also involved. @anasanas84, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Euphrates Post reported only the Syrian Regime as responsible. Finally, @Almohrar1 and @farzat1711 and North Press Agency reported only Russian forces as the belligerents.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers respond to shelling in Sarmin on August 16, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers respond to shelling in Sarmin on August 16, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers respond to shelling in Sarmin on August 16, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers respond to shelling in Sarmin on August 16, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • "A short while ago, artillery shelling by Assad's gangs targeted the outskirts of the city of Sarmin, east of Idlib "
  • "Reports of direct casualties among the militants, after targeting their movements with heavy artillery and missiles west of the town of Sarmin, east of Idlib "
  • Shelling in Sarmin on August 16, 2023. (Image posted by @Almohrar1)

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]