Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

RS4320

Incident date

January 20, 2020

Location

الكماري, Al Kamari, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Ghassan Mohsen Al-Dandal was injured as a result of an alleged Russian attack targeting Al Kamari at 11.23am on January 20th, 2020.

@so_ria98 tweeted that “Civilian casualties were reported by Russian airstrikes on the village of Al Kamari in the southern countryside of Aleppo.”

Mohammad Alhasuain reported on the alleged incident asserting the injury of Mr Al-Dandal was due to the attack by a Russian aircraft. Shaam news added that the injury recorded was caused by shelling of violent and heavy attacks by Russian warplanes in the western and southern countryside of Aleppo.

The incident occured at 11:23:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Ghassan Mohsen Al-Dandal
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Ghassan Mohsen Al-Dandal, from the village of Al-Kamari, was injured in alleged Russian strikes on Al Kamari on January 20, 2020. (Image posted by Mohammad Alhasuain via Facebook)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4367

Incident date

January 27, 2020

Location

شنان, Shannan, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two men were killed and others injured following alleged Russian or Syrian regime air or artillery strikes on the village of Shannan, Idlib governorate, on January 27th, 2020, according to local media reports.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported that “Wael al Jisr and Mustafa al Deeb were killed as fixed-wing warplanes fired missiles on Shnan village in Jabal al Zaweya area in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on January 27th.”

Anastracey also named the two victims and said the strike occurred at 7:32 am.

An Orient reporter said the two victims had remained under the rubble because civilian and medical rescue teams were having trouble reaching the affected area due to the intensity of the bombardment.

Orient News, and several other sources, reported that additional people were injured but the sources did not provide a specific figure.

SMART Agency quoted local sources saying “two civilians were killed as a result of missile strikes by Russian warplanes on the village of Shanan in the Ariha region of the southern countryside.”

@WM_FREESYR and the Syrian Civil Defence Idlib said Syrian government forces had carried out the strikes which targeted “civilian homes in the center of the village” according to one of the sources.

The majority of the remaining sources implicated Russia in the bombing.

Shaam Network reported that Russian and Syrian regime forces used artillery and missile shelling on different areas of Idlib on that day. “Russian and Asadian air forces launched dozens of air strikes in the midst of artillery and missile shelling in the areas of clashes, cities, towns, villages, Maarat al-Numan, Sarqib, Kafrnbel, Jericho, Maarat Harima, Benin, Sarjat Maarzita, Mardikh, Hass, Ahsam, Tarnabah, Aafs, Kafr Fatekh, Shanan, Kafarma, Khan al-Sabil, Dadaekh, Marbessah, Dair Shanbut, Sirnakb, 2 martyrs In the town of Shannan

 

The incident occured at 07:32:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A photo that was posted alongside text describing an alleged Russian or Syrian regime air or artillery strikes on the village of Shannan, Idlib governorate, on January 27th, 2020. (Uploaded by Syrian Civil Defence Idlib)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian 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
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4356

Incident date

February 25, 2020

Location

شنان,, Shannan, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On January 25th 2020 at 13:02, up to five civilians, including a woman and two children, were reported killed and six others wounded following Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes carried out against the village of Shannan. Two non-civilians were also reportedly killed.

Local reports were inconsistent concerning the number of victims, as numbers initially stated three women and two children killed, while others cited two children, two men, and one woman killed. Smart News reported the death of four civilians, a woman, her two children, and a male, and this was also reported by Civil Defense. The majority of sources that reported on the incident mentioned three civilians being killed and two non civilians killed, which makes it likely that the men killed were the non civilians.

Al-Jisr reported a total of two dead civilians, while Syrian television noted the death of a woman and her two children, and this was supported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The identities of the woman and her children were listed as Mona Suleiman Fatallah (wife of Muhammad al-Taha), a two-month-old baby Wjad Muhammad Al-Taha and her sister, Thana Muhammad al-Taha. The identity of the reported fourth and possibly fifth civilian was not released.

The Syrian Civil Defense said the mother and her children were killed when their house was shelled and completely destroyed. The report stated that the “Regime’s warplanes bombed the homes of civilians in the village of Shanan, causing the death of a woman and two children and the injury of a child, a woman and a man. Teams worked to rescue the family, whose house was completely destroyed by the shelling.”

Shaam Network said that one of the dead children was an infant/baby.

Baladi News noted that Shannan was solely a residential area and a house was destroyed, killing a woman and her two children.

@ShahbaPress blamed the Russians for the incident, while Syrian Civil Defense, Ariha Today, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the Syrian regime. The Step Agency said that both Russia and the regime were responsible.

Baladi News reported that the strike was carried out by pro-Assad forces using SU-22 warplanes and SNHR fixed wing Russian planes. @so_ria98 tweeted that vacuum missiles were used in the attack.

The incident occured between 1:02 pm and 1:05 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mona Suleiman Fatallah منى سليمان فتح
34 years old female killed
Wajd Muhammed Al-Taha وجدمحمد الطه
Child 2 months old killed
Thana Muhammad al-Taha ثناء محمد الطه
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1 woman1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (39) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged strike on Shannan, Jan 25th (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged strike on Shannan, Jan 25th (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged strike on Shannan, Jan 25th (via White Helmets)
  • Damage caused by airstrikes on Shannan on January 25, 2020. (Image posted by @media_idlib)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1 woman1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (39) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2690

Incident date

November 6, 2017

Location

سراقب, Saraqeb, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859101, 36.797731 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that “a civilian was wounded by a bombardment of warplanes likely to be Russian, targeting the vicinity of the radio tower on the western outskirts of Saraqib.”

High explosive Russian rockets were allegedly used in the raid.

There were no reports of civilian deaths and no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS087

Incident date

July 3, 2017

Location

Jelber village, [or Cilbir] Shirawa district, Afrin, Syria

Geolocation

36.484167, 36.968889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians including an elderly woman were wounded in an alleged Turkish artillery attack on Jelber village, Afrin, according to local media.

Aksalser cited Kurdish Activists and reported that “a woman from the village of Gelber in the countryside of Afrin was injured by the Turkish artillery”

Azadiy Kurdistan said that “according to medical sources, four civilians were wounded in the village of Jalbar as a result of the shelling of the village by the Turkish army and the militias backed by them.”

According to Welat FM “the hospital administration confirmed that they also received four injured civilians from the village of Gelber in the area of ​​Shirawa as a result of targeting the village more than 20 shells.”

Rok Online said that those injured included an elderly woman.

Aylina Kilic provided some further details, reporting: ‘Sabah Isa (40) who was wounded in the shelling of Turkish-backed groups on the #Afrin village said: “Was it a mortar or shell, I don’t know”.
“She continued: ‘They fired it and I was in the balcony. I told the children to come inside. They were firing at the garden and surroundings’.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

40 years old female injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • 'Update: 4 civilians have been wounded in yesterday's shelling on villages in Canton #Afrin by Turkey-backed jihadist groups (ANHA) #Rojava'
  • A woman allegedly injured in the attack
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish strikes on either the village of Jelber of Kafronton, it was unclear which. (via Manbij.org)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Jelber village, [or Cilbir] Shirawa district, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.484167, 36.968889. 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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4394

Incident date

February 2, 2020

Location

بلدات متعددة, Several towns , Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

A single source, Shaam News Network, reported civilian harm across a series of strikes in towns in Aleppo. The source alleged both Russia and the Syrian Regime responsible.

According to the source, attacks took place on the towns “Darat Azza, Zorba, Zitan, Qanater, Kamari, Arnaz, Urm al-Kubra, Atarib, First Engineers Country, Maarat al-Atariq, Sheikh Ali, Qebtan, Salloum, Ainjara and Kafr Hamra”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC291

Incident date

February 8, 2020

Location

الدبلوماسي, Adduplomasi, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.832547, 13.18911 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were allegedly injured by LNA shelling on Ain Zara.

The Libya Observer wrote: “Three foreign workers were injured when a shell fired by Haftar’s militias hit their workplace in Ain Zara district, south of Tripoli, on Saturday evening, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Fawzi Onis has confirmed.

Haftar’s militias continue to indiscriminately and deliberately target civilian population and facilities with alarming frequency, despite their formal commitment to the truce announced on January 12.”

Libya Alahrar TV and Tk Yahroug Kl shy also reported three African expats injured. Tk Yahroug Kl shy said several shells fell in the Al Diplomasi neighbourhood of Ain Zara.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Adduplomasi (الدبلوماسي), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.832547, 13.18911. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Adduplomasi (الدبلوماسي).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2795

Incident date

December 12, 2017

Location

التمانعة, Taman'a, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.457626, 36.750314 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A shepherd was injured and ten sheep were killed in alleged Russian “rocket-propelled grenade” fire on Taman’a.

There were no reports of civilian deaths.

Members of the Syrian Civil Defence reportedly inspected the vicinity and rescued one man from the rubble. He was taken to a medical point.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The exact moment alleged Russian RPG's were fired onto the vicinity of Taman'a, 12th December 2017. (via Qasioun News)
  • Members of the Syrian Civil Defence inspect the wreckage in the aftermath of airstrikes on Taman'a, 12th December 2017. (via @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Members of the Syrian Civil Defence inspect the wreckage in the aftermath of airstrikes on Taman'a, 12th December 2017. (via @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Members of the Syrian Civil Defence inspect the wreckage in the aftermath of airstrikes on Taman'a, 12th December 2017. (via @SyriaCivilDefe)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced being active in unspecified parts of Syria until December 11th, 2017.


Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]