Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

ISSY032

Incident date

April 4, 2023

Location

الكسوة, Al Kisswa, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.358774, 36.252222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On April 4th, 2023 at 12:15am, an airstrike either launched by Israeli forces or an air defense missile launched by the Syrian regime hit a glass factory in Al-Kisswa, south of Damascus, in Rif Dimashq, resulting in the death of up to two civilians.

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), a Syrian regime-controlled news source, reported that two civilians were killed and martial damage was caused by the airstrikes. According to Orient news, Amr Niam was one of the people killed and he was described by loyalist pages as someone who reportedly fought 12 years ago with the Assad militia and was killed by “friendly fire” after his demobilization.

Athar Press quoted the head of the municipality of Al-Kisswa, Muhammad Al-Hayek, who said that “the young man (Omar Naim) works as a watchman in the glass warehouse that was targeted at dawn today.” @Kenan80490227 on Twitter corroborated that he was a facility guard, writing about the attack “in which the facility guard spent his last night before he was killed”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights posted on Twitter that one of the dead was a member of “Hezbollah”.

The glass plant sustained infrastructure damage as well. Al-Hayek clarified that the 500 square meter factory was almost. completely damaged. He said, “The glass goods in it have become like sand, in addition to the roof of the warehouse falling to the ground along with the walls,” indicating that this warehouse is private and does not belong to any government agency.

A military source speaking to Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) claimed that the Syrian regime air defence system intercepted the missiles and shot them down. Radio Al Kul quoted Voice of Capital, which attributed the civilian casualties to a Syrian regime air defense missile and not an Israeli missile.

The incident occured at 00:15:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Amr Naim
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Kisswa (الكسوة), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.358774, 36.252222. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    Israeli Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Hezbollah
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli or Syrian regime missile strikes near Damascus on April 4, 2023. (Image posted by @Kenan80490227)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli or Syrian regime missile strikes near Damascus on April 4, 2023. (Image posted by @Kenan80490227)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli or Syrian regime missile strikes near Damascus on April 4, 2023. (Image posted by @Kenan80490227)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli or Syrian regime missile strikes near Damascus on April 4, 2023. (Image posted by @Kenan80490227)
  • An Israeli missile targeted a glass factory in the Al-Kiswah area in the countryside of Damascus, owned by craftsmen in Damascene glass. The scenes show the recovery of a number of civilian martyrs who were in their workplaces in the factory.

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli 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
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    Israeli Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Hezbollah
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1