Russian Military in Syria

Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

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Incident Code

RS724

Incident date

March 11, 2016

Location

تدمر, Palmyra, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.5655244, 38.2873535 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Palmyra, according to local sources.

Al Jazeera reported that “a number of people were killed, including women and children, as a result of dozens of continuous Russian air raids days ago on residential neighborhoods and archaeological city. others were injured in the city of Palmyra in Homs east.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Basil Mahmoud Al-Qasem
Age unknown male killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • "The shelling of Russian warplanes destroys dozens of houses in dozens of raids on Palmyra in the countryside of Homs" (via Abualhudahoms twitter)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria for March 1st to March 30th.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS756

Incident date

April 16, 2016

Location

دير الزور, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3353632, 40.1380348 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between nine and 17 civilians including one woman and two children died in airstrikes on neighborhoods of Deir Ezzor, according to local sources. While some reports allege that this was the work of Russia, one other blames the Assad regime with yet others not attributing responsibility.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently reported that Russian warplanes carried out more than a dozen raids focused on “Al Rashida, al Haweqa and al Sina’a neighborhoods but the worst were in Al Hamidiya neighbourhood which was targeted with three raids.” It said that “nine people were killed in addition to five unidentified dead bodies“.

Tweets by Aljmhoria and 3ajel-KSA put the death toll at 13, and said Russia was responsible. Deirfree also blamed Russia and named two victims: Eyad Abdulfattah Abdullah and Abdulr-Rahman Al Akili.

Daretezza said that the 13 victims were “mostly children” –  but did not say who carried out the aerial bombardment.  According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “warplanes” (it did not say who they belonged to) killed 13 non-combatants including one woman and at least two children when they bombed areas in the al-Hamidiyyeh neighborhood.

Likewise, a report by Free Syria did not say who was to blame. Neither did LCCSY, but it named five of the reportedly killed civilians also mentioned by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently (below).

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights attributed the incident to the regime, putting the death toll at 17 including one woman and two children.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently named nine male victims (listed below), while a tweet by Tiger9977771, mentioned the same names, but also reported that “there have been bodies of a woman, a male child, a female child and two men (body parts) who could not be identified”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hassoun al Hazza’
Age unknown male killed
Fawaz al Fatih
Age unknown male killed
Ahmad Halat
Age unknown male killed
Iyad Abd al Fattah
Age unknown male killed
Hussein al Baja’a
Age unknown male killed
Mohammad al Fattouri
Age unknown male killed
Saleh Zeeb al Marhaj
Age unknown male killed
Abd al Rahman al A’kili
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 17
  • (2 children1 woman9 men)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Kremlin has issued no public accounts of airstrikes in Syria from April 1st – 30th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 17
  • (2 children1 woman9 men)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS789

Incident date

May 3, 2016

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and between eight and ten were injured in airstrikes on Hraytan, according to local sources – though reports are conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Activists told Shaam News Network that Russian warplanes targeted the city centre with vacuum missiles, killing two civilians and wounding 10 more, some of whom were left in a critical condition. Syrian Mirror also blamed Russia for the attack with vaccuum missiles and spoke of “a number of casualties” and more than 14 wounded.

However, two other sources blamed the regime. According to LCCSY, eight non-combatants were injured in an attack by “Assad’s warplanes”. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said “government” planes were responsible for at least two deaths.

Syria Mubashar and Thiqa newsagency named on Twitter the two men who died in the raids.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Zuheir Qasreen
Adult male killed
Hassan Qasreen
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–15
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Al Jazeera tweets that two people are killed and other injured in alleged regime raids on Hraytan, northern Aleppo. 3rd May 2016
  • An activist tweets that allegedly Russian and regime planes target Hraytan, kiling 2 and injuring ten. 3rd May 2016 [via: @abul_bisher]
  • Shaam news tweets that there are dead and wounded in alleged Russian raids on Hraytan, 3rd May 2016.
  • SN4HR tweets that at least two people were killed in what it says were government [and allies] raids on Hraytan on 3rd May.
  • Syria Mubasher network tweets the names of the two men who were killed in Hraytan, 3rd May 2016
  • Thiqa news agency confirms the names of the two men killed in Hraytan, 3rd MAy 2016.
  • Halab Today tweets that two people were killed following air raids on Hraytan, 3rd May 2016
  • @BreakingNews9 tweets that dozens were killed following 'Russian and Assad' raids on Hraytan, 3rd May 2016
  • Syria Revolutionary Grouping tweets that two people were killed in air raids on Hraytan, 3rd May 2016.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between May 1st – 31st.

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 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–15
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS821

Incident date

May 30, 2016

Location

الصاخور, Al Sakhour (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2179122, 37.1892357 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A child was among at least three civilians killed – with others injured – in two alleged Russian airstrikes or regime artillery or helicopter strikes on the Al Sakhour neighbourhood of Aleppo.

Shaam News Network published images from the neighborhoods of Al Sakhour and Tareeq al Bab following what it said were Russian strikes.

According to Akhbar Alaan 13 people were wounded and many civilians put in critical conditions due to maritime mines thrown from helicopters. A tweet by RevolutionSyria put the number of wounded at 15. The highest claim of civilian deaths came from Al Jazeera which reported 18 killed in alleged Russian strikes on Al Sakhour and Tareek Al Bab neighbourhoods in Aleppo city.

Names of civilians that died in the alleged strikes were reported by the Syrian Human Rights Committee

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Zakaria Al-Jamili
Age unknown male killed
Abdullah Al-Jamili
Age unknown male killed
Alyan Al-Hassan
70 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 18
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–18
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets rescue victims from the rubble in Al-Sakhour raids allegedly by Russian warplanes. (via Tweet by AMC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child is rescued after alleged Russian strikes took place on the Al Sakhour neighbourhood, May 30th (via Zaman Masdar)
  • Images of architectural destruction and human life lost after Russian warplanes targeted the Al Sakhour and Tareeq al bab neighbourhoods in Aleppo. (via Shaam News Network facebook)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    White Helmet: 3 martyrs and 3 were wounded in warplanes shelling in Al Sakhour. (via Buraq)
  • The White Helmets rescue victims from the rubble in Al-Sakhour raids allegedly by Russian warplanes. (via Tweet by AMC)
  • The White Helmets rescue victims from the rubble in Al-Sakhour raids allegedly by Russian warplanes. (via Tweet by AMC)
  • The White Helmets rescue victims from the rubble in Al-Sakhour raids allegedly by Russian warplanes. (via Tweet by AMC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A female child martyrs in Al Sakhour due to bombardment. (via Zedhamod)
  • photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)
  • photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)
  • photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)
  • photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)
  • photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)
  • photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photos from al Sakhour neighbour and Tareeq al bab in Aleppo city after suspected Russian warplanes targeted them with air raids. (via SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 18
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–18
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS854 CS224a

Incident date

June 5, 2016

Location

شعيب الذكر, Shai'eeb al Zakar, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.800735, 38.267642 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including three children died in an airstrike on airstrike on Shai’eeb al Zakar, according to local sources though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible, with one report saying that the warplanes were thought to have belonged to the US-led Coalition.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently blamed a Russian strike on the village and named the victims.

In a news roundup, the Shaam News Network also blamed Russia, but did not provide casualty numbers.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, five civilians died in “bombing by Syrian and Russian warplanes” on “the villages of Jebbat al-Ghawali and Horat al-Jaryat south of al-Tabaqa city in the western countryside of Al-Raqqah.”

However, according to iumsonline, the Coalition may have responsible: “Warplanes thought to be from the coalition killed 5 civilians in Shai’eeb Al-Zakar one of whom is a displaced from Palmyra.”

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 no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yasser Mohammad al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Khaled Mohammad al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Ahmad Mohammad al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Mahmoud Abd al Khalek al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Abu Ra’ad al Udwan
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children4 men)
  • 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, US-led Coalition

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

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
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV366623
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • June 5, 2016, in Shai’eeb al Zakar, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2969/CS224a 37SDV366623

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For June 5th-6th, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqah, one strike destroyed an ISIL workover rig and an ISIL crane"

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children4 men)
  • 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, US-led Coalition

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS886

Incident date

June 11, 2016

Location

‏عينجارة‬, Anjara, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.219558, 36.950397 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children were killed in airstrikes on Anjara, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted and confused as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian Regime.

LCCSY initially reported that the strikes were Russian, killing two children and wounding other civilians when homes were targeted with cluster bombs.

However, in a second report it  changed its position and attributed the incident to the regime.

The Shaam News Network also initially blamed “Assad’s warplanes and helicopters” –

but they later alleged that Russia was responsible.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights – who blamed the regime – the two children killed were from the same family.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also mentioned the incident and the death of two children, but didn’t identify the “warplanes” responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 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
    3
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS918

Incident date

June 19, 2016

Location

الثورة‎, Al-Thawrah (Tabaqah), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A major civilian casualty event took place on al Tabaqa city in the Ar Raqqah countryside, reportedly killing at least six civilians and wounding as many as 40, including women and children. Sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

Wwalfwasel reported that “more than 40 people” were killed, however this figure is much higher than the majority of other sources.

A Tweet by theofficemedia described the raid as a ‘very intense bombardment’ in which rockets and cluster bombs were used by warplanes.

Syrian Press Center blamed Moscow, as did LCCSY and Qasioun news.

According to Qasioun, most of those killed were women and children.

According to Alsouria, al Tabaqa was under the control of so-called Islamic State, they alleged through working together the regime and Russia have caused considerable material damage in the area and many have been killed in order to regain control.

Shahed-ayan has also news blamed Moscow for the airstrikes, which they reported to have killed sixteen, wounded thirty and caused ‘big material damage in residential buildings’.

However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights referred to both Russian warplanes and regime helicopters operating in the area. Syrian News and Zamanalwasl also blamed the regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Daasha Osbkiat Nsorna
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 40
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–35
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Tabaqa, June 19th (via Alsouria)
  • An airstrike on Tabaqa, June 19th (via Syrian Press Center)
  • Suspected Russian fighter jets attack the town of al Tabaqa, Ar Raqqahh (via Qasioun)
  • "clashes between the regime forces and elements of the "Islamic State" (Daesh) near the oil revolution field" (via Syrian News)
  • Aftermath following alleged bombs on residential areas in al Tabaqa countryside (via Zamanalwal news)
  • Smoke rises on the city of al Tabaqa following airstrikes (via Shahed-ayan)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 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
    6 – 40
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–35
  • 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

RS952

Incident date

June 28, 2016

Location

منطقة كباني "الكبينة", Al Kabina area, Lattakia, Syria

Geolocation

35.7175411, 36.2333804 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Airstrikes in the al-Kabina area outside of Lattakia led to the death and injury of several civilians, local media reported.

According to Syria News Network “intense airstrikes by the Russian Aviation occurred alongside clashes which targeted areas controlled by the rebel regions. A number of civilians were killed and wounded, and civilian homes were targeted in the vicinity of al Kabina.”

Two out of four sources, SNN and Muslum News, pointed to Russia as the culprit, while no source pointed to the Syrian regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

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