Airwars assessment
Up to 19 civilians, including children and a pregnant woman, were reported killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Qaryal al Rahma near Hass, Idlib, on August 16th.
The New York Times later published transcripts of Russian pilots on the day, which it said proved the Russian Air Force had conducted the attack.
Euphrates Post reported that “thirteen civilians, including women and children, were killed as a result of airstrikes by Russian warplanes on the homes of displaced persons in the town of Hass.”
Daily Sabah also stated that the “Russian airstrike killed 13 people, including a pregnant woman, and wounded 20 others.” Meanwhile, Etilaf News claimed that the attack killed “14 civilians, including four children, two women, and a fetus, and injured more than 30 others, including serious cases.”
Shaam News also documented the death of 14 in the incident, stating that this included “six children and three women.”
Syria Civil Defense discussed the death of an unborn child, and his mother, in the attack stating that “Hass` fetus was born prematurely weeks before his normal delivery, and in a town that was not his home country. […] He was killed before he was given a name, and all members of his family were killed […], as a result of a Russian warplane bombing gathering of displaced persons [previously] displaced by planes and artillery of the Assad regime and Russia [in Idlib and Hama.]
An early report from @ShabhaPress indicated that there were “up to 11 martyrs and at least 15 wounded” as a result of the airstrike, yet these figures rose in later reports as understanding of the events unfolded.
A later report from Step Agency reported that “a child died as a result of wounds sustained” in the attack a day following, “bringing the death toll in Haas to 16 people.”
Sources predominantly attributed the attack to Russian forces, however, two named both Russia and the Syrian regime in reports of many incidents, including the attack on Hass.
Syria Civil Defense wrote that “the story of Hass’ fetus remains one of the stories that have been dying at the hands of the Russian and Asadi criminals, without any punishment or deterrence, despite violating all international laws and customs.”
In December 2019, the New York Times published an investigation which it said proved Russian pilots had conducted the attack. According to the Times, the strike took place at 7.17pm, killing 19 civilians and injuring 13.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (18) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]
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Image Caption Translation: "Russian forces committed a massacre in an IDPs residential village in Hass village in Idlib, on Aug 16 SNHR: at least 14 civilians, including six children, an unborn baby and three women, were killed as fixed- wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles on al Rahma IDPs residential village in east of Hass village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on August 16, 2019." (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
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Image caption translation: "Fourteen civilians, including children and women, will be killed and 30 others injured as a result of a horrific massacre committed by warplanes after targeting a residential compound housing displaced people in the town of Hass in Idlib countryside today." (via Syria Civil Defense)
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Image caption translation: "Hass` fetus was born prematurely weeks before his normal delivery, and in a town that was not his home country. He was born away from his hometown of Karnaz in Hama countryside after his father, Abdul Jabbar Othman, his mother, and his older brother, who had not yet seen him, were displaced. Hass` fetus was killed before he was given a name, and all members of his family were killed before he was called a name we call him, as a result of the bombing of a Russian warplane gathering displaced persons, who were displaced by planes and artillery of the Assad regime and Russia from the countryside of Hama to the countryside of Idlib. The story of fetus Hass remains one of the stories that have been dying at the hands of the Russian and Asadi criminals without any punishment or deterrence despite violating all international laws and customs." (via Syria Civil Defense)