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

RS4071

Incident date

August 25, 2019

Location

تل منس,, Tal Mnes, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.636819, 36.737163

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians including women and children died in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Tal Mnes on August 25, 2019, according to local media.

Smart reported: “Three children and two women were killed and 10 civilians were taken to nearby field hospitals as a result of the regime’s warplanes shelling residential neighborhoods in the center of tal mnes village in the southern countryside of Idlib.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) put the death toll at one and named Abdul Razzaq Fawzi al Twaini as killed. It blamed the regime.

Edlib News Network named the others killed: Fatima Badr Al-Aboud, 36 years old woman, Maryam Jumaa Khalil Al-Ahmad, 35 years old woman, Mahmoud Taher Al-Aboud, 11 years old, Amer Taher  Al-Aboud, 8 years old, Khaled Taher Al-Aboud, 5 years old.

Edlib media Centre said that four civilians died.

In a later post, SN4HR said that “at least five civilians (three children and two women), most of whom are from the same family, were killed as Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes fired missiles on Talmennes town in the southeastern suburbs of Idlib governorate, for the second time on the same day, on August 25.” Tweets from various sources, including @adlbhamam1985 and @abds02747, also identified five civilians killed.

A tweet by @Ahmad_1alshble identified civilian’s homes as being struck and a tweet by @ufuk_sy pointed to the center of the town as the location of the strikes.

A video posted by @Ahmad_1alshble shows the dust cloud following the strikes over Tal Mnes and a video posted by @anasanas84 shows a bulldozer removing the rubble from the destruction caused by the strikes.

Most sources blamed the regime, though there were also reports of Russian actions.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Khaled Taher Al-Aboud
Child killed
Amer Taher Al-Aboud
Child killed
Mahmoud Taher al-Aboud
Child killed

The victims were named as:

Razzaq Fawzi al Twaini
Adult male killed
Maryam Jumaa Khalil al-Ahmad
Adult female killed
Fatima Badr al-Aboud
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 6
  • (1–3 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–10
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged regime airstrike on Tal Mnes, Aug 25th (via EMC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged regime airstrike on Tal Mnes, Aug 25th (via EMC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged regime airstrike on Tal Mnes, Aug 25th (via EMC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged regime airstrike on Tal Mnes, Aug 25th (via EMC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged regime airstrike on Tal Mnes, Aug 25th (via EMC)
  • The aftermath of a strike on Tal Mnes, Aug 25th (via SN4HR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Caption translation: # The warplanes of the Assad gangs bomb the village of Telmans with missiles It led to 5 civilian martyrs, including two women and a child # Southern Idlib countryside (Image from @abds02747)
  • Image caption translation: The death of (Abd al-Razzaq Fawzi al-Tuwaini) from the town of Talmanes in the southern countryside of Idlib, as a result of the warplanes targeting the town with several missiles. (Image posted by Nouralhuda Nja via Facebook)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Caption translation: Abd al-Razzaq Fawzi al-Tuwaini, was killed as a fixed-wing warplane belonging to the Syrian regime forces bombed several missiles on the town of Talmanes in the southeastern countryside of Idlib governorate, on August 25, 2019. (Image from Syrian Network for Human Rights)

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
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 6
  • (1–3 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–10
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1446

Incident date

October 12, 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

Five civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Naha, according to local media.

SRG_Syria tweeted that there were “five martyrs and many wounded due to Russian warplanes raids in Kafr Naha in Aleppo.”

Al Jazeera, Syria Press and Syria News Dersk also put the death toll at five, while Halab News listed five unidentified civilians as killed. All of these sources blamed Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • 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]

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 October 1st – 19th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS538

Incident date

February 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

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, reported that three civilians including one woman died when “suspected Russian warplanes” fired missiles on Hraytan.

Shahed A’ayan Halab reported the deaths of 5 people and the wounding of 3 others as a result of Russian bombing in Hraytan.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (2) [ 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 published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 1st – February 3rd.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2730

Incident date

November 14, 2017

Location

العوينة, Al'A'waina, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.318731, 36.433496 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as five children were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on a gathering of IDP tents in Al’A’waina, local media reported. Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed Russia for the raids.

Initially Syrian Network for Human Rights reported the death of only one child, however this rose to five later on.

Tents were destroyed in the raid.

There are 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
    1 – 5
  • (1–5 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ 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
    1 – 5
  • (1–5 children)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1327

Incident date

September 23, 2016

Location

الموحسن, Al Mohaissen, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.2257487, 40.3109038 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and five civilians including two children died up to seven more were wounded in an airstrike on Al Mohaissen town, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

Among sources blaming Russia were the Shaam News Network, who put the death toll at five, “including children”. Emirates News joined a number of other sources that said four people died.

According to Syrianewdesk, “five civilians were killed, including two children, and seven others were wounded, this afternoon [Sept 23rd], as a result of Russian warplanes in carrying out four raids on a residential area at the entrance to the city of Muhassan”.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, who put the death toll at three including two children, attributed the event to the regime.

Alyemen Today added that an unspecified number of ISIS members were killed in addition to five civilians.

LCCSY, who joined many sources in not identifying the culprit, named two child victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmed Salah Elesmeer
Child male killed
Rowan Salah Elesmeer
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (15) [ 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 September 1st – 30th 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 – 5
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1604

Incident date

November 17, 2016

Location

المعادي, Al Ma'adi, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1914827, 37.1630799 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians including one child and one woman were reported killed in airstrikes on the al Ma’adi neighbourhood of Aleppo, according to multiple sources.

Whilst most sources reported that Russia were responsible for the raid, some have attributed responsibility to the regime.

The attack on al Ma’adi was part of a wider raid on the besieged neighbourhoods of Eastern Aleppo.

Shahba Press, who alongside ten other sources, claim that Russian jets were responsible for the attack, said: “there were three martyrs, including a child and a woman, in the Al-Maadi neighborhood, two in the transportation district, and other civilians were injured after Russian raids.”

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the strike hi a mosque. The source said: “Suspected Russian warplanes missiles fired on Barseen Mosque in Al Ma’adi neighborhood in Aleppo city, damaging its building and furniture, destroying its minaret and rendering it inoperable”.

Whilst most sources agreed that three people were killed in al Ma’adi, the Shaam network said that there were “two martyrs and a number of wounded in the Maadi district.”

However, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “shelling by regime forces with artillery shells and rockets targeted the neighborhoods of al-Ferdus, al-Maadi, Masaken Hanano, al-Salhin, Ansari, al-Mowasalat, Bustan al-Basha, Sheikh Faris and Nairab”, with 25 civilian casualties in total. 

The highest death count was given by @AleppoAMC at five civilians.

It is currently unknown how many were injured in the attack.

On responsibility for the attacks, Sky News Arabia said: “on Tuesday [Nov 17th], government forces resumed their air strikes on the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, coinciding with Russia’s announcement of a large-scale campaign in the provinces of Idlib and Homs (central).”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Photos showing aerial bombardment of the neighborhood of # Maadi in the city of # Aleppo, which resulted in the death of "3" civilians.
  • Translation: Civil defense teams are looking to reach a woman trapped in the rubble of her destroyed house by shelling the neighborhood of Maadi #حلب.
  • The aftermath of aerial bombardment on the neighbourhood of Maadi, in Aleppo., Nov 17th 2016 (Via: @alrqeebmohaemos)
  • The aftermath of aerial bombardment on the neighbourhood of Maadi, in Aleppo, Nov 17th 2016 (Via: @alrqeebmohaemos)
  • The remnants of Barseen Mosque in al Ma'adi, Aleppo, Nov 17th 2016 (Via: SN4HR)
  • Translation: watch - after 4 hours continuous work the civil defence pull out a child from under the rubble of his home destroyed by Russian raids on Al Ma’adi neighbourhood in besieged Aleppo.

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 specific strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones”.

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 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 – 5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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

RS1838

Incident date

January 15, 2017

Location

الحميدية, Al Hamidiya neighbourhood, Deir Ezzor, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3301466, 40.1456308 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as five civilians were killed – including a family of three – and others were injured in alleged shelling on Alhamediya. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Some blamed the Syrian regime, while others blamed Russia. Multiple sources even attributed blame to both belligerents.

It must be noted that multiple sources reported that “five civilians were martyred and others were injured by the shelling of the Al-Hamidiya and Al-Aridi neighbourhoods in the town of Deir Al-Zour.” It remains unclear as to where all five of these five civilians were killed. SN4HR amongst other sources added that this death toll included two women and two children.

A picture of the child Abdullah Rashed Alwan, who was killed in the raid on Alhamediya, was published by many social media sites. He died along with his parents.

It was reported that the aerial bombardment consisted of missiles.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Rashed Isa al-Elwan "al-Kjaije"
Adult male killed
Inaam Ali al-Elwan
Adult female killed
Abdulla Rashed Isa al-Elwan
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Abdullah Rashed Alwan, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on 15th January 2017, Alhamediya. (via @MousaAlomar)

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 specific strikes between January 1st – 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2261

Incident date

May 27, 2017

Location

عقيربات دكيلةالعلباويجروح , Jarouh, Al-'Albawi and Dikila, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.105128, 37.495179 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and five civilians were killed and several others were wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes in eastern Hama Governorate, according to sources on the ground.

Smart News reported that the warplanesshelled the villages of Jarouh, Al-‘Albawi and Dikila, in the area of ​​Aqirbat.’

The strikes also resulted in the burning of agricultural crops in the village of Al-Labawi.

One source, Waseem Al Hamwi, accused the Syrian regime of participating in this airstrike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]

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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]