Fifteen non-combatants were reported killed at the village of Za`faranah in Russia’s first wave of airstrikes in support of the Syrian regime.

According to the Syrian state-run news agency SANA, Russian warplanes targeted “ISIS dens” in al-Rastan, Talbiseh and Zafaraniya in Homs province; Al-Tilol al-Hmer, in Qunaitra province; Aydoun, a village on the outskirts of the town of Salamiya; Deer Foul, between Hama and Homs; and the outskirts of Salmiya.”

At Za`faranah, according to SN4HR, 15 civilians were killed “including two children and five women.” Following a field investigation the Violations Documentation Centre also put the death toll at fifteen.

Citing an eyewitness, VDC noted; “Two attacks were launched on the southern entrance to the village, specifically on four adjacent civilian houses.There were neither military locations nor an ISIS presence in the targeted area. Unfortunately, fourteen civilians, many unidentified, were instantly killed and more than thirty others were injured in the two strikes. Following this, at 10:00 am, warplanes targeted the area of al-Makramiah, south-west of Zaafaraneh village. As a result, a young man was killed and eight civilians were injured. On that day, the air strikes did not stop, they continued targeting the southern part of the village at about 11:00 am, causing injury to eight more people.”

Nine of the victims were named by VDC.

Russian media made no mention of civilian casualties – with TASS referring only to “pinpoint airstrikes” against what were described as ‘ISIS targets.’

The incident occured between 9:00 am and 11:00 am local time.

Up to 18 non-combatants were reported killed at Talbiseh by Russian aircraft in their first day of bombing in Syria.

Paramedic Omar Al Daqa, based at one of Talbiseh’s field hospitals, told VDC: “Around 10am, Russian warplanes launched several fierce airstrikes, targeting a number of neighbourhoods with vacuum missiles, including: Karameh, Bareed and Mashjer streets, as well as the city’s bread distribution center. The shelling was along one track with almost 100 meters between each missile. As a result, 17 civilians were killed, 34 were wounded and one is missing (probably torn into pieces).”

At least one of those killed – civil defence volunteer Abdul Latif al Duheik – died during a secondary strike.

A doctor named as ‘Abu Sham’ also noted that “We received 65 wounded with injuries from minor to critical. Among them, there were cases of suffocation as a result of dust and smoke. As for the martyrs,they were killed by the enormous pressure or shrapnel that pierced their bodies and tore some of them into pieces.“

18 Victims were named by VDC.

According to the Syrian state-run news agency SANA, Russian warplanes targeted “ISIS dens” in al-Rastan, Talbiseh and Zafaraniya in Homs province; Al-Tilol al-Hmer, in Qunaitra province; Aydoun, a village on the outskirts of the town of Salamiya; Deer Foul, between Hama and Homs; and the outskirts of Salmiya. Russian media made no mention of civilian casualties – with TASS referring only to “pinpoint airstrikes” against what were described as ‘ISIS targets.‘

Amnesty International later noted, “According to the testimony of two eyewitnesses whom Amnesty International interviewed, complementary testimony, audiovisual material of the direct aftermath of the attacks and reports received from human rights defenders in and from Homs there were no military targets in the vicinity and there were no military casualties. Armed groups allied with the Free Syrian Army controlled the area but were not located in the town itself.”

The incident occured at 10:00:00 local time.