Airwars assessment
In the evening/night of Thursday, January 4th, 2024, at least one civilians, a 50-year-old father of two children, was killed by an alleged Jordanian airstrike on Bir Al-Kharib south of the village of Umm al-Rumman in the southern countryside of Al-Suwayda, Syria. Reportedly, Hammoud Iyas Al-Aqel (Abu Laith) from Jabal al-Arab was killed during his night shift as a guard for the water well “Al-Mukaramah” located in Bir Al-Kharib. Suwayda24 wrote that the man was turned into a pile of rubble by the bombing, according to the eyewitnesses.
The sources differed on the exact time of Hammoud Al-Aqel’s death. Suwayda24 and SANA wrote that the incident happened late Thursday evening/night. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the man was killed after midnight on Thursday – Friday. Swydaa Facebook account claimed that he died at dawn on Friday.
Some sources referred to the airstrike as part of an anti-drug smuggling operation. However, Suwayda24 reported that sources from Umm al-Rumman confirmed that the deceased man did not belong to any armed group in his life, nor was he involved in smuggling activities. According to Suwayda24, this was confirmed by his modest financial condition and his continued work guarding the well in a dangerous area, to obtain a low monthly salary.
Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah wrote a Facebook testimony about Hammoud Al-Aqel, writing “He is known among the people of his village for his high morals and the humble, impulsive, chivalrous person”. He also added that this well, which had been out of operation for a long time, was repaired finally after persistent demands.
Twitter/X user @daara_net_2020 shared on the platform that the alleged Jordanian attacks on the southern countryside of Suwayda also caused “many civilian deaths […]” While no other sources mentioned additional deaths, we’ve counted for the possibility of additional civilian deaths by using a 1-3 range.
According to @daara_net_2020, “The raids also caused the displacement of some families in that area. Towns and civilian homes were damaged.” The tweet was accompanied by a picture of the late Hammoud, an older man with a gray beard looking into the camera with a white and red scarf wrapped around his head. A video is also attached showing a site at night filled with rubble.
Umm Al-Rumman Endowments also mourned the death of Hammoud Al-Aqel, writing “With greater satisfaction and acceptance of God’s will and destiny, the people of the village of Umm Al-Rumman and the family of Al-Aqil mourn for you the forgiven, God willing.” Facebook user Adnan Al-Akel also mourned his death and shared his photo with the late Hammoud.
Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah shared some pictures from Uncle Omar Al-Barbour’s page about the site of the bombing, Bir Al-Kharib, Bir Al-Mukramah. The pictures showed rubble. Only the pillars – destroyed in half – remained standing around the burnt soil.
Suwayda 24 also shared on Facebook pictures of the rubble of the water well. The pictures showed almost complete destruction, with only some of the pillars standing and the soil covered by broken pieces of cement.
Where sources identified the belligerent, all the sources, except SANA, referred to the Jordanian military as the one responsible for the attack. SANA referred on Facebook to “unidentified warplanes”. Suwayda24 emphasized in its report that the Jordanian military did not claim responsibility for this raid.
The incident occured in the evening.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (20) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (25) [ collapse]
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Source: @daraa_net_2020
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Muhammad Mutaib Al-Abdullah
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Source: Alrasma
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Source: Umm Al-Rumman Al-Khobar
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Source: Umm Al-Rumman Al-Khobar
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Source: Umm Al-Rumman Al-Khobar
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Source: Suwayda 24
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Source: Suwayda 24
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Source: Adnan Al-Akel
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Source: Adnan Al-Akel
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Source: SANA_AgencyposT
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Source: Swydaa
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Source: @HalabTodayTV
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Source: @HalabTodayTV
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