Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

RS1183

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

معارة النعسان, Maarat al Naasan, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.0351379, 36.8356507 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and 19 civilians were killed, including two women and two to three children, and several others were injured from airstrikes that struck Maarat al-Naasan. Among those killed were seven members of the same family. Following the airstrikes, the civil defense teams were mobilized to rescue those trapped in the rubble and transport them to local hospitals.

@egyptiontodayreported up to 19 civilians were killed – however they were the only source to report this high.

Local sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the airstrikes, with @shababRevolution blaming Russian planes while @twittbooknews and Smart News identified regime planes as the culprit.

Images published by various local news sources show cars that were completely destroyed from the strikes and the blood of those that were victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 19
  • (2–3 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid on Maarat al Naasan. (via, SO4HR)
  • A car destroyed in an alleged raid. (via, SND)
  • The aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Madar Daily)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Blood splattered inside a residential home. (via, Smart News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image of a deceased child, buried alive in the rubble, following an alleged raid on Maarat al Naasan. (via, shababRevolution)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 19
  • (2–3 children2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1184

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

الراموسة, Ramousa, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1583284, 37.1326297 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and at least five more were wounded in an airstrike on the road leading to the neighborhood of Ramousa, south of of the city of Aleppo, local media reported – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime. However, the majority of sources pointed to the regime. Reports said that a car or bus or “gathering of vehicles” were struck.

LCCSY and the Step News Agency blamed Russia for the strike, with LCCSY putting the death toll at two.

All other sources also said that there were two fatalities, though added that civilians were also wounded in the attack. But the Smart News Agency was among many sources attributing the event to the regime. It reported that “two civilians died and nine more were injured when their car was targeted”. According to Baladi, “at least a dozen civilians were injured following intense shelling by Assad’s forces on the road to Ramousa”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that “barrel bombs had been dropped on to the road from helicopters”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Latif Mustafa Abtini
Adult male a fighter, named by SyrianNews Desk killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1185

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

الأنصاري, Al Ansari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1529125, 37.075864 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that between two and six civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on the Al Ansari neighbourhood of Aleppo.

The lowest death count was given by the Syrian Network for Human Rights – at two non-combatants.

However, all other sources said that six civilians died. The majority of the reports blamed Russia, though a number didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

According to LCCSY, ”Russian Aviation committed a massacre in the Ansari neighborhood which claimed the lives of six civilians – in the initial count – and wounding of more as a primary outcome and wounding others”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on An Ansari. (via JisirTV)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1186

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

كفر ناها, Kafr Naha, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1658391, 36.9767189 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children died and up to nine other civilians were wounded in airstrikes on Kafr Naha, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible.

Halab Today reported that “at least two children were wounded in cluster bomb raids”. However, Smo-sy, @HalabTodayTV and @VMb468yf3kz2F6p said that the two children were killed in the attack. Reports either blamed Russia or didn’t identify the culprit.

The Smart News Agency was among several sources reporting that nine people were wounded – some seriously – in alleged Russian strikes.

But Shahba Press, Madar Daily and LCCSY attributed the event to the regime. The report by LCCSY said that “Assad’s helicopters dropped several explosive barrels on the town of Kafr Hamra”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–9
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–9
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1187

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

حي السكري, Sukkari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.17594, 37.14111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 14 civilians including women and children died and as many as dozens more were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Sukkari, according to local media. Multiple sources reported that residential homes were struck and that fires broke out causing significant material damage. One source added that “the main market” was hit.

The lowest death count was given as five by AMC. However, the majority of sources said that 13 people were killed. The Smart News Agency and RFS Media Office put the figure at 14.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, four children were among the fatalities. Smart put the figure at two with three women also killed – and dozens more wounded.

Insaan Rights Watch published footage depicting the aftermath of what it referred to as a “horrific massacre by Russian aviation, which targeted or struck the main market in Al Sukkari”.

In an initial report, LCCSY blamed the regime, but then went on to attribute the event to Russia – as did all other reports, though some didn’t identify the culprit.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “a woman and her uncle, two women and two children from two families died in an explosion on a shell factory in a building Sukkari neighborhood in Aleppo.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 14
  • (2–4 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, SN4HR)
  • Fires are extinguished by the civil defense in the aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • An injured man in the aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, Step)
  • Fires still alight in Sukkari following an alleged Russian raid. (via, Smart)
  • Fires still alight in Sukkari following an alleged Russian raid. (via, Shahed-ayan)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Sukkari. (via, Shahba Press)
  • Huge fires inside residential buildings and shops. (via, aleppopress)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 14
  • (2–4 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CI280

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

القيارة, Qayyarah, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.7977836, 43.2935143 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to various reports, 10 people were killed and 20 injured following an alleged Coalition strike at Qayyarah targeting by mistake civilians houses.

Al Qayyarah Now – which described the strike as accidental – said children were among the dead. The Arabi Asad blog said two families died. Other local reports described heavy shelling of the town, which was reportedly captured from ISIL two days later.

In the second of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that the allegation provided insufficient information on the timing and location of the strike to make a determination.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    38SLE457628
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020
  • Aug. 22, 2016, in Qayyarah, Iraq, via Airwars report. The allegation provided insufficient detail to identify a specific date, time, or location to search for corroborating Coalition action. 2994/CI280 38SLE457628

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For August 21st-22nd 2016, the Coalition reported that “Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed a mortar system, a vehicle, five assembly areas, a supply cache, a front-end loader and denied access to terrain.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (2 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1180

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians including women and children died and up to 20 more were wounded in airstrikes on Douma, local media reported – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame. The majority of sources, however, accused the regime.

According to Syria News Desk, “about 20 vacuum missiles, cluster bombs and other surface-to-surface regime rockets were fired on the popular market and residential neighborhoods in Douma”. The Syrian Network for Human Rights and SRG Syria also blamed the regime. Smart News reported the use of “land to land missiles”.

The Smart News Agency also attributed the deaths – which it put at eight – to Assad, reporting that “eight raids targeted Palestinian houses in the city”.

However, LCCSY said that Russia was responsible, putting the death toll at six including three women and a child – with 20 more injured.

A number of other reports didn’t identify the culprit.

The Violations Documentation – who blamed “Syrian government and affiliated militias” – named the following five civilians as killed as well as confirming one unidentified civilian.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Child female killed
Child female killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed
A martyr from Barghuth family
Age unknown killed
Jamil Mirjana
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (2 children2–3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • A survivor from an airstrike on Douma, on August 22nd, stands amidst the rubble of civilian homes (via Syrianpc)
  • Material damage to the town following an alleged raid. (via, LCCSY)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Seriously wounded children are treated in a medical facility following an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid on Douma. (via, DOUMA MEDICAL)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid on Douma. (via, Smart News)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid on Douma. (via, Halab TodayTV)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (2 children2–3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1175

Incident date

August 21, 2016

Location

القاطرجي, Al Qaterji (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1995518, 37.1815538 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and 11 civilians including women and children died and as many as 30 more were wounded in airstrikes on Qaterji, al-Zebdiyyeh, al-Jaloum and Seif al-Dawla, local media reported – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “11 civilians including five children and two women were killed by an aerial bombardment on Qaterji, Saif al-Dawla, al-Jaloum, and al-Zabdia”.

The Observatory went on to report the death of the child – whom many sources claim “died of wounds sustained three days previously by war planes bombing”.

However, LCCSY pointed towards the regime, reporting three deaths after explosive barrels were dropped on al-Jaloum. @thesyrianmirror, meanwhile, said that an entire family died in al-Jaloum, again blaming cluster bombs. @FreeSyria28 said that as many as 30 civilians were injured in a cluster bomb attack on Seif al-Dawla.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Daqmic
Child brother of brother Umran Daqmic killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 11
  • (1–5 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 11
  • (1–5 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]