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

RS1454

Incident date

October 14, 2016

Location

القاطرجي, Al Qaterji (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians died and up to 12 more were wounded in an airstrike on Aleppo’s Al Qaterji neighbourhood, according to local sources. Multiple reports said that a bakery was struck. The majority of sources attributed the deaths to Russia, though one report also said that the regime had carried out strike on Aleppo on this day.

According to Shahba, “there were four martyrs including a woman and a child, and 12 more people were wounded due to Russian warplanes shelling a bakery”.

The Smart News Agency also put the death toll at four, stating that “the civil defence said they’d recovered three bodies from the rubble including women and children.”

But the Step News Agency reported that the regime may have been involved: “Russian and Syrian warplanes carried out many raids in Aleppo today [Oct 14th]. In Qaterji, a bakery was targeted and one person was killed and others wounded.”

Alaraby said that five people had died, while Nader added that many of the wounded were children.

Halab Today reported the use of phosphorous bombs. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–12
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The chaotic aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Qaterji, Oct 14th. Footage shows civilians being dig from the rubble and children being dropped out of the windows of burning buildings in a desperate attempt to save lives. (via Shahba)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child awaits treatment in a medical facility following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Qaterji, 14th October 2016. (via Nader)
  • Destruction to civilian housing blocks by alleged Russian and Syrian regime raids. (via Syrian Arwad)
  • Destruction to civilian housing blocks by alleged Russian and Syrian regime raids. (via Syrian Arwad)
  • Destruction to civilian housing blocks by alleged Russian and Syrian regime raids. (via Syrian Arwad)

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.

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)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–12
  • 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

RS1714

Incident date

November 28, 2016

Location

القاطرجي, Qaterji neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Five civilians died in an  airstrike on Aleppo’s Qaterji neighbourhood, according to local media. Most sources said that the civilian harm was caused by a chlorine attack from helicopters, though some other reports pointed towards Russia and cited the use of cluster bombs and rockets.

Nabd explictly said that “Assad helicopters threw explosive barrels of chlorine gas into the districts of Al-Qatragi and Askar”.

Syriansnews, @HalabNewsN, @SYR_REV_NEWS, @RFS_NORTH, Micro Syria also said that this was a chlorine attack.

But HNN listed five civilians as killed by a Russian “parachute bomb on Qaterji”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad al Kirdi
Age unknown male killed

Summary

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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

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
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1574

Incident date

November 13, 2016

Location

خان شيخون , Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.44208, 36.65095 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians – a woman and her four children – died and dozens more were wounded in airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun. Most sources blamed the Assad regime, though there were also allegations against Russia.

According to SMO, “Russian occupation aircraft on Sunday carried out a horrific massacre in the town of Khan Sheikhan in the village of Idlib, killing five people from one family and several others.”

Halab Today listed the names of the five victims and blamed Russia for the deaths.

But the majority of other reports attributed the fatalities to strikes by the regime.

There were also reports of barrels bombs being used. According to Syrian Press Centre, “helicopters used several barrels on the public square in the center of Khan Sheikun, where there are shops selling fuel, causing the outbreak of large fires and the death of three people on the spot. Others were injured”.

The Violations Documentation Center named five children killed “by Syrian Government and affiliated militias”.

There were also reports that Russia had struck a school – though no mention of civilian harm was made, and it’s unclear whether this was a separate incident.

The Syrian Network for Human reported: “suspected Russian warplanes missiles fired on Saleh Dado elementary School in Khan Sheikhoun city in Idlib governorate southern suburbs, damaging its building and furniture and rendering it inoperable”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Zahraa Ammar Sayadi
Child female killed
Ziyad Ammar Sayadi
Child female killed
Nour Ammar Sayadi
Child female killed
Meriam Ammar Sayadi
Child female killed
Muna Saboura
Adult female wife of Ammar Sayyadi and mother of above children killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • 'five civilians (a mother and her four children) died due to government warplanes missiles fired on Khan Sheikhoun city in Idlib governorate southern suburbs, November 13, 2016.' (via SN4HR)
  • 'Image of a child wounded in government warplanes missiles fired on Khan Sheikhoun city in Idlib governorate southern suburbs, November 13.' (via SN4HR)
  • A wounded child following an alleged Russian strike on Khan Sheikhoun, Nov 13th (via SMO)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: 'The martyrdom of a whole family, consisting of a mother and her four children, and dozens injured as a result of the bombing of the warplanes residential buildings in the city of Khan Sheikhon countryside # Idlib.'
  • Translation: 'Warplanes commit a massacre against a family in Khan Shikhun, rural Idlib'

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Khan Sheikhoun (خان شيخون ), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.44208, 36.65095. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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”.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1663

Incident date

November 22, 2016

Location

الميسر, Al Maysar, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.212011, 37.171227 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and five civilians were killed – including three children and a woman – and as many as dozens more were wounded in an alleged airstrike which struck Al Maysar, Aleppo on the morning of the 22nd.

There is conflicted reporting on who was to blame for the alleged airstrikes, with sources such as Al Jazeera blaming the Syrian regime. However most sources attributed blame to Russian warplanes.

Al Jazeera claimed that poisonous chloride gas was used, however none of the other sources support this claim, despite evidence to suggest that the gas was being used during other incidents of the Russia campaign in November 2016. There were also multiple reports that explosive barrels had been dropped.

According to @ZaitonMagazin, a family of five were killed.

Many sources reported that explosive barrel bombs and parachute missiles were used in the alleged raid.

Upsetting footage shows a young girl being rescued from the rubble. She is one of up to 24 alleged injured casualties.

More video evidence shows a man weeping over the loss of his baby son who was killed in his home.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–24
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Footage of an injured child being rescued from under the rubble of her home following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Maysar, Aleppo, 22nd November 2016. (via SDC Aleppo)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A father weeps over the body of his dead child in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Maysar, Aleppo, 22nd November 2016. (via AleppoAMC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a dead child is taken from the scene following an airstrike on his home by an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Maysar, Aleppo, 22nd November 2016. (via @yosefhosain)

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
    1 – 5
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–24
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS290

Incident date

December 18, 2015

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

Four to five civilians were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Hraytan, north of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

No further details are available at the present time.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hraytan (حريتان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.287032, 37.08332. 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
Official source

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS354 CS164

Incident date

January 9, 2016

Location

عين عيسى, `Ayn `Isa, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

36.383715, 38.866611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A strike by aircraft reportedly killed five civilians. Syria News attributed the attack to Russia, while Ara News said it was a Coalition action.

VDC – which attributed the attack to the regime – named five victims.

In their February 2020 civilian casualty report, 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:

Family members (5)

Khalaf al-Askar
Adult male killed
Son of Khalaf al-Askar 1
Child male killed
Son of Khalaf al-Askar 2
Child male killed
Daughter of Khalaf al-Askar
Child female killed
Niece of Khalaf al-Askar
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military 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
    37SDA880265
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Feb 2, 2020

  • Jan. 9, 2016, in Ayn ‘Isa, 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. 2899/CS164 37SDA880265

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition confirmed a strike in the vicinity for January 9th-10th 2016, noting that “Near Ayn Isa, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL buildings.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS386

Incident date

January 13, 2016

Location

حيان, Hayyan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.32417, 37.05886 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four to five civilians including two children were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Hayyan, according to the Shaam News Network and the Violations Documentation Centre.

SNN reported that five non-combatants were killed, while the Violations Documentation Centre named four victims.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Nader Maroush
Adult male killed
Ibraheem Maroush 
Child male killed
Mohammad Maroush 
Child male killed
Omer Maroush 
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2 children2 men)
  • 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

Russia has not reported any strikes between 11-15 January.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2 children2 men)
  • 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

RS802 CS214

Incident date

May 19, 2016

Location

الحمرات, Al Hamrat (Ar Raqqah), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians (from the same family) including three children and one woman died in airstrikes on Al Hamrat according to local sources – though reports were confused with conflicting allegations that Russian, the regime or the Coalition had carried out the attacks.

Qasioun said a Russian fighter targeted residential neighborhoods in the village, resulting in deaths and injuries, though it did not provide casualty figures. And an Islamist activist, Hussein al Ahmad, tweeted that “Russian pig warplanes” had wounded “unarmed civilians”.

But Shaam News Network alleged that “aircraft belonging to the international Coalition” bombed Al Hamrat, leading to the death of the family of  “Abdul Al Hadi Hassan Al Abd al-Hadi Albouhbal“, including children and women after their home was targeted with “several missiles“. Syria 24 also blamed the Coalition.

Other sources including Ennnabaladi, HNN News and LCCSY also said an entire family were killed, but did not identify the warplanes responsible.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently published several reports of the incident, but like other sources did not say who the aircraft belonged to. It also named the “Abdul Hadi Hassan family” as victims and added that several houses in the area had been destroyed.

However, speaking to Al Hall, Mohamed Salah, a RBSS spokesman, said that while there were “no confirmed reports on the identity of the planes responsible, it is likely they they belonged to the Coalition” given the accuracy of the targeting and the fact that Daesh had imposed a security cordon around the area following the bombing”.

RBSS also said that Coalition planes had dropped leaflets on the city stating “‘The time has come to leave al Raqqa’ in a letter addressed to the civilians asking them to leave the town.”

Jisr TV attributed the incident to the regime, putting the death toll at five – all members of the same family. A report by Al Jazeera was not clear on who was responsible, but implied that regime strikes elsewhere may have spread to Raqqa.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

five members from the family of Abdul Al Hadi Hassan Al Abd al-Hadi Albouhbal

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • 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 (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Translation: civilians dead and wounded following 4 raids by warplanes on the town of al Hamrat eastern Raqqa countryside.
  • Translation: an entire family killed after their home was targeted by warplanes in the town of al Hamrat in the eastern Raqqa countryside.
  • Translation: an entire family martyred following bombing by warplanes the area of al Hamrat int he eastern countryside.
  • civilians fleeing
  • Aftermath of the airstrike
  • Translation: #Al raqqa coalition planes throw leaflets over Raqqa says ‘The time has come to leave al Raqqa’ in a letter addressed to the civilians asking them to leave the town (via RBSS)

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 May 1st – 31st

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
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition noted no strikes near Raqqa for May 18th-19th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • 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 (28) [ collapse]