Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

RS283

Incident date

December 16, 2015

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight people were reported killed and 40 wounded in three alleged Russian night time airstrikes on Al Bab according to multiple sources. Though the ISIL-lnked news agency Al A’maq claimed the deaths were “as a result of the Russian strikes” VDC blamed the fatalities on “the regime air forces’ shelling with explosive barrels on a popular market.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
25 years old male killed
Adult female killed
Wife of Redwan al-Bzaighi’s
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child2 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abd al-Hamid Abo Kasheh, killed in Al Bab by alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raids. (via, VDC)
  • Yehya Kazkaz, killed in a contested airstrike. (via, VDC)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a market in the city of Al Bab (الباب).Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Bab are: 371972, 37.51631.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child2 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.

Incident Code

RS284

Incident date

December 16, 2015

Location

الناجية, Najieh, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.7894815, 36.2177181 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian male named as Shadi Samir Bakkour was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Najieh, with two or more others injured.

The local civil defence team tweeted “One martyr, several injured from Russian airstrikes with vacuum bombs on Najiah village in Jisr el Shoughour countryside.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Najieh (الناجية), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.7894815, 36.2177181. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown

No Russian reports were published for December 16th-18th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS278

Incident date

December 15, 2015

Location

منبج, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.52815, 37.95495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and nine injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Manbij, according to Al A’maq News and Shaam News Network.

SNN reported that the raid came as other areas in the countryside of eastern Aleppo (Maskaneh, Deir Hafer and Al Bab) faced Russian shelling but noted that despite these cities being under IS control the “Russian fighters are bombing only civilian homes and their markets“.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

For December 15th-16th 2015, Russia reported that “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 59 combat sorties engaging 212 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah provinces… In the Aleppo province, a Su-24 bomber made a strike on an ISIS concentration of manpower and military hardware. Objective monitoring data confirmed elimination of not less than 10 militants and 3 automobile vehicles with large-caliber machine guns.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS279

Incident date

December 15, 2015

Location

مسكنة, Maskanah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.964534, 38.036764 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

26 to 30 civilians including five women were killed and dozens injured in airstrikes on Maskaneh, according to multiple sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Shaam News Network reported that Russian aircraft committed an “appalling massacre” when warplanes targeted Maskaneh’s popular market “Bazaar” in two airstrikes.

Activists told SNN that the market was packed full of civilians, meaning that the death toll exceeded 30 and that many of the dead were unrecognisable due to deformation of bodies.

SNN noted that although Maskaneh is under IS control, the raids are only targeting markets and civilians.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported on the attack, initially putting the death toll at least 12 and then 30, including five women. They also noted that four IS militants were killed. Although they stated that “warplanes” were responsible, they did not say who they belonged to.

According to the IS agency Al A’maq, 24 were “dead and injured“, with most of them being women. They said that there had been three Russian raids.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights, who put the death toll at 20, said that regime missiles were to blame.

The VDC also accounted for three unidentified victims:

Unidentified 1 – adult, male

Unidentified 2 – adult, male

Unidentified 3 – adult, male from Homs

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abdulla Sraj al-Ali
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Kawthar Hsain al-Ali
Adult female named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed

Family members (2)

Abdulla Mahmoud Mustafa Sarraj
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Mahmoud Hasan Taleb Sarraj
Child male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed

Family members (2)

Hameed al-Nafea
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Hasan al-Nafea
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed

Family members (2)

Alaa al-Rahhal
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Alaa al-Rahhal
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed

The victims were named as:

Ali Mohammad Jasem al-Ammash
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Wazeer Saleh al-Shebli
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Mahmoud Mohammad al-Ibraheem
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Ali al-Merie
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Mohammad al-Hmoush
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Hsain Ahmad al-Mahmoud al-Jadaan
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Wife of Ismael Ahmad al-Ekle
Adult female named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Hasan al-Ghrad
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Mohammad Ahmad al-Saleem al-Issa
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Awsh al-Hadi al-Sheikh
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Kareeme al-Mahmoud al-Ello
Adult female named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Nuriye al-Ibraheem al-Mehsen
Adult female named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Raed Hsain
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Wife of Ali al-Ammash
Adult female named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Malek Hasan al-Hammo
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Fares al-Jumaa al-Muwali
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Abdul Hadi Musa
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed
Aboud Saleh al-Khlaif al-Sayyad
Adult male named by the VDC as killed by Russian aircraft killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    26 – 30
  • (5 women21 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • The market in Masskana following alleged Russian strikes, December 15th. (via SNN)
  • In the aftermath of the airstrikes on Maskana. A truck which has been caught in the raid too. (via, SNN)
  • A van destroyed by the airstrikes. (via, SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a deceased man. (via, SNN)
  • An injured man in a medical facility. (via, SNN)
  • The streets in the aftermath of the contested airstrike. (via, SNN)
  • Damaged infrastructure. (via, SNN)
  • Residential buildings destroyed by the airstrikes. (via, SNN)
  • Walls of a building totally demolished by an airstrike. (via, SNN)
  • The aftermath of a contested airstrike. (via, SNN)
  • Civilians grieve for their loved ones. (via, SNN)
  • A huge crater formed by the airstrikes. (via, SNN)
  • Another photograph showing the size of the crater formed by the airstrikes. (via, SNN)
  • More evidence to show the damage to the infrastructure. (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

For December 15th-16th 2015, Russia reported that “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 59 combat sorties engaging 212 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah provinces… In the Aleppo province, a Su-24 bomber made a strike on an ISIS concentration of manpower and military hardware. Objective monitoring data confirmed elimination of not less than 10 militants and 3 automobile vehicles with large-caliber machine guns.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    26 – 30
  • (5 women21 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS280

Incident date

December 15, 2015

Location

معارة النعسان, Ma'arat Al Nu'ssan, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.0353463, 36.8360242 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 16 and 34 civilians were killed and more than 100 injured in airstrikes on a fuel market in Ma’arat Al Nu’ssan, according to multiple sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Shaam News Network reported that Russian warplanes launched cluster bombs on the fuel market in three airstrikes, leading to the death of at least 30 non-combatants, most of whom were burnt in massive fires.

Activists told SNN that the warplanes targeted the middle of the market at a time when it was full of fuel dealers.

The network went on to note that “the fuel market in the town of Ma’arat al Nu’ssan is the largest commercial markets in the region, and it is a collection point for diesel coming from IS areas to the liberated areas and has been bombed previously by Assad causing significant massacres.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll lower, at 16, but added that it was likely to rise due to dozens being in critical condition and many people missing. They later put the death toll at at least 34. SN4HR said that the attack was carried out by Warplanes believed to be Russian.

The White Helmets posted a number of images of its members attending the scene and attempting to put out a fire. They stated that “warplanes” carried out the attacks but did not say who they belonged to. The death toll had risen to 20 with more than 100 wounded, they added.

But according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “at least six” civilians were killed when regime missiles fired on the village.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 34
  • Civilians reported injured
    100
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Firefighters attend the aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Nu'ssan, December 15th (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets rescue a body in the aftermath of the strikes on Ma'arat Al Nu'ssan, December 15th. (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image of a pile of bones left after a civilian casualty was burnt in a diesel market in Ma’arat Al Nu’ssan. (via, SNN)
  • Fires continue to be extinguished in the aftermath of an airstrike which hit a diesel market. (via, SNN)
  • The ground which has been scorched by the fires in Ma’arat Al Nu’ssan. (via, SNN)
  • A distance view of the smoke caused by huge fires in Ma’arat Al Nu’ssan. (via, SNN)
  • Another image of fires being extinguished. (via, SNN),

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

For December 15th-16th 2015, Russia reported that “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 59 combat sorties engaging 212 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah provinces… Near Maarat an-Numan (Idlib province), a Su-25 attack aircraft destroyed a large ISIS base. In a separate building, there was an ammunition and materiel depot, as well as a command centre of illegal armed groups. Data concerning the coordinates of this object had been received by the Russian Defence Ministry from representatives of the Syrian opposition. After the data had been checked by the Information centre in Baghdad and unmanned aerial vehicles conducted additional reconnaissance of the base, a Su-25 attack aircraft eliminated this facility.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 34
  • Civilians reported injured
    100
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS281

Incident date

December 15, 2015

Location

الفردوس, Al Fardous (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.180995, 37.151892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians including two children were killed in airstrikes on the Fardous neighbourhood, Aleppo, according to multiple sources – though it is unclear whether regime or Russian warplanes were responsible for the attacks.

The Shaam News Network reported that three non-combatants were killed in Russian airstrikes.

But the White Helmets suggested that the Assad regime may have been responsible, stating:The crimes of Assad’s army continue and Al Ferdos neighbourhood in Aleppo has received its share of strikes this afternoon.

The Violations Documentation Centre listed four victims as killed in Russian airforce shelling including 3 unidentified:

Unidentified 1 – child, male

Unidentified 2 – adult, female

Unidentified – adult, female

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male named by the VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets place the body of a wounded person in an ambulance following airstrike on the Al Ferdos neighbourhood, December 15th. (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured civilians, including children, are lifted out of the rubble. (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

For December 15th-16th 2015, Russia reported that “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 59 combat sorties engaging 212 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah provinces… In the Aleppo province, a Su-24 bomber made a strike on an ISIS concentration of manpower and military hardware. Objective monitoring data confirmed elimination of not less than 10 militants and 3 automobile vehicles with large-caliber machine guns.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS282

Incident date

December 15, 2015

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male civilian, named as Khaled Iyad al-Khaled, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Idlib city, according to the Violations Documentation Centre and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

No further details are currently available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

For December 15th-16th 2015, Russia reported that “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 59 combat sorties engaging 212 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah provinces… Near Maarat an-Numan (Idlib province), a Su-25 attack aircraft destroyed a large ISIS base. In a separate building, there was an ammunition and materiel depot, as well as a command centre of illegal armed groups. Data concerning the coordinates of this object had been received by the Russian Defence Ministry from representatives of the Syrian opposition. After the data had been checked by the Information centre in Baghdad and unmanned aerial vehicles conducted additional reconnaissance of the base, a Su-25 attack aircraft eliminated this facility.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS277

Incident date

December 14, 2015

Location

كفر حمرة, Kafr Hamra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.252649, 37.079115 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five to six non-combatants including one child were reported killed – and several others injured – in airstrikes on Kafr Hamra, according to multiple sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “warplanes believed to be Russian” carried out several airstrikes targeting places in the town of Kafr Hamra in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo. They reported casualties but did not provide details.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights said that the regime was responsible, killing five civilians including one child.

According to the White Helmets, the death toll rose to six but they did not state who carried out the attack, referring to “warplanes” only.

The Violations Documentation Centre listed one unidentified child as killed in Russian airforce shelling.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kafr Hamra (كفر حمرة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.252649, 37.079115. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]