Russian Military in Syria

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

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

Incident Code

RS3478

Incident date

June 27, 2018

Location

تسيل, Tasil, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported injuries among civilians as a result of raids allegedly by Russian forces on Tasil and other towns of Dara’a al Balad.

Shaam Network reported that “the raids also resulted in  a number of wounded in  Daraa al-Balad, Ghariyah al-Sharqiya, al-Harak, Saida, Nahata, Kahil, Nawa, Tasil, al Soura, Ibta’a, Shaikh Saad, Tafas and al Taibeh.”

@OrientNews tweeted that there were Russian forces raids on Tasil on that day, while @s3d_al3nezi blamed the Syrian regime.

No further information is available at the moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS3477

Incident date

June 27, 2018

Location

نوى, Nawa, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported injuries among civilians as a result of raids allegedly by Russian forces on Nawa and other towns of Dara’a al Balad.

Shaam Network reported that “the raids also resulted in  a number of wounded in  Daraa al-Balad, Ghariyah al-Sharqiya, al-Harak, Saida, Nahata, Kahil, Nawa, Tasil, al Soura, Ibta’a, Shaikh Saad, Tafas and al Taibeh.”

No further information is available at the moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • "Heavy raids on southern Syria and humanitarian organizations concerned for the safety of civilians. Photo: smoke billowing from the town of Nawa, 30 km north of Daraa, in southern Syria, during regime forces air strikes, June 27, 2018."

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
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3476 

Incident date

June 27, 2018

Location

كحيل, Kahil, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian is reported killed in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Kahil in Dara’a on June 27th, 2018, according to local sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that they “documented that three were killed in bombardment by warplane on the towns of Jiza, Kahil, and al-Msifra, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation.”

Shaam Network blamed Russia for the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ 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

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3461

Incident date

June 26, 2018

Location

نوى, Nawa, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians were reported killed and up to 25 others injured as a result of Russian forces or Syrian regime forces airstrikes on Nawa in Dara’a, south of Syria on June 26th, 2018 according to local sources.

Shaam Network said that “Activists confirmed that the Russian warplanes launched air strikes with rockets at the residential neighborhoods in the city of Nawa in the western countryside of Daraa, killing four men, two women and a girl, and the fall of more than 25 wounded.”

At the start, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said “at least five civilians, including two women were killed as Syrian/ Russian regime warplanes fired missiles on Nawa city in Daraa governorate northwestern suburbs, on June 26th, 2018.” @SyriaCivilDefe said that five children are among those injured.

Then, the Local Coordination Committees of Syria raised the number reporting the “death of six civilians, including women and children, and the injury of more than 15 others in an initial toll as a result of raids by Russian warplanes that targeted residential neighborhoods in the city of  Nawa in the western countryside.”

The local sources then increased the toll to seven after one of the children died of her wounds. @lornce_adm said “The number of martyrs in the city of Nawa, in the western countryside of Daraa, increased to seven after the death of a child, who was affected by her wounds sustained today after warplanes bombed her house in the city.”

Umo.nawa1 posted the names of eight civilians reported killed in the airstrike and they are: Amin Musa Al-Soua’a, Oula Emad Al-Ammarin, Khaled Abdulnour Abu Al-Hop, Thanaa Mustafa Amreen, amad Al-Massad, Ihsan Ibrahim Al-Khubei, Jana Samir Al-Tawbah (child), and Ghina Samir Al Tawbah (child)

Most sources blamed Russia, for example Local Coordination Committees of Syria, Shaam Network,   SMART Agency, Step News, @HadiAlabdallah, @SyriaCivilDefe Ahmad Al juhnami, Ilham Horani and Ghassan Ibrahim. The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed both.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (2 children2 women4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–25
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • Image of the shelling on Nawa in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018 (via Hamza Khatib page)
  • An image by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights showing the aerial bombardment of Nawa in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018.
  • Images of bombing on Nawa in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018 (via @ahmad_ms96 )
  • Destruction to residential areas as a result of airstrikes on Nawa in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018 (@ahmad_ms96 )
  • Civilians near destructed homes are a result of alleged Russian airstrikes on Nawa in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018 (via @ahmad_ms96 ).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Nawa in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018 (via @ahmad_ms96 ).

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
    8
  • (2 children2 women4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–25
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3467

Incident date

June 26, 2018

Location

إبطع, Ibta'a, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.7899783, 36.152792 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A young man was killed and up to six others were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the city of Ibta’a, Dara’a governorate, on June 26th, 2019, according to local sources.

Amin Abu Halwa wrote on Facebook that the young Ali Ahmad Al Mahmoud Al Hariri had been killed as the result of shelling on the town, in addition to “a number of wounded, from moderate to critical condition.” @shakmaskeen reported that six people were seriously injured.

@Step_Agency reported that “regime forces targeted the town of Ibta’a in the western countryside of Dara’a with artillery, while the warplanes launched several airstrikes targeting the town of Harak in the eastern Dara’a countryside.”

Nearly all sources blamed the Syrian regime for the artillery strikes, but Shaam News Network mentioned that both the Syrian regime and Russia had been responsible. Ahmad Al Masalmah blamed Iranian forces for the artillery strikes on Facebook.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ 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

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3466

Incident date

June 26, 2018

Location

الغارية الشرقية, al Ghariya al Sharqiya, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilians from the same family were reported killed and other civilians injured in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime forces bombing on Al Ghariya Al Sharqiyah in Dara’a on June 26th, 2018. Local sources said the town was attacked with explosive barrels.

The two victims were identified as Yasser Muhammad Mousa Al-Hajj Ali  who died as a result of wounds he sustained because of the bombing, and the child Muhammad Samir Al-Haj Ali who is a displaced from Khirbet Ghazaleh.

@KhirbitGhazala tweeted “Child Muhammad Samir Musa Irsheed, was killed by shelling with explosive barrels that targeted the eastern town of Al-Ghariyah Al Sharqiya in the eastern countryside of Daraa.”, and “Yasser Muhammad Musa Irsheed Al-Hajj Ali died due to his wounds sustained as a result of targeting the eastern town of Ghariya with explosive barrels.”

Also @Step_Agency tweeted “Helicopters targeted with barrel bombs the eastern town of Ghariya, killing two and wounding civilians in Daraa countryside.”

Local sources blamed both Russian forces and the Syrian regime for the incident. @omar_hariri_dr said that Russian warplanes targeted areas in Dara’a including Al Ghariya and @Step_Agency blamed the regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The child Muhammad Samir Al Haj Ali was killed in bombing on Al Ghariya Al Sharqiya in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018 (via Syrian.Revolution)
  • Two civilians from the same family were killed in bombing on Al Ghariya Al Sharqiya in Dara'a on June 26th, 2018 (via Abo Al Manar)

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
    2
  • (1 child1 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3465

Incident date

June 26, 2018

Location

درعا البلد, Dara'a al Balad, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed in Dara’a Al Balad, Dara’a, Syria as a result of alleged Russian airstrikes on June 26th, 2018.

Shaam Network said that “Russian aircraft and regime helicopters carried out dozens of raids on the neighborhoods of Daraa al balad. One martyr fell in each of Daraa al balad, the towns of Msaifra, al Ghariya al Sharqiya, al Soura, al Adwan and Ibta’a.”

@SyriaCivilDefe reported “Russian military aviation renews its bombing with several air strikes on residential neighborhoods in each of Daraa Al-Balad and the town of Al-Soura in the eastern Daraa countryside. Civil Defense teams are working to respond quickly in the locations of the raids.”

Both Russian forces and the Syrian regime were blamed for this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Airstrikes targetting Dara'a Al Balad on June 26th, 2018. (via @Mohamadabzed)
  • "Warplanes launched several airstrikes and barrel bombs targeting the Daraa Al-Balad neighborhoods of Daraa Al balad, the town of Al-Herak, and the town of Al-Musifra, east of Daraa."
  • "Russian military aviation renews its bombing with several air strikes on residential neighborhoods in each of Daraa Al-Balad and the town of Al-Soura in the eastern Daraa countryside, Civil Defense teams are working to respond quickly to the locations of the raids."
  • "Regime forces and foreign militia bombard Daraa al-Balad neighborhoods of Daraa city with "local made" rockets."
  • "Warplanes launch violent air strikes on liberated Daraa Al-Balad neighborhoods in Daraa."
  • "Russian warplanes bombard several air strikes in the neighborhoods of Daraa Al-Balad and Al-Soura in the eastern Daraa countryside."

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
    1
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3464

Incident date

June 26, 2018

Location

الصورة, al Soura, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

A civilian was reported killed and others injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Soura town in Dara’a on June 26th, 2018 according to local sources.

SMART News Agency said that “A civilian was also killed in the town of alSoura in air strikes likely to be Russian warplanes.”

Local sources reported Russian airstrikes on different areas in Dara’a on June 26th 2018 since the morning.

@AboAltaj1 tweeted “More than 200 Russian raids on the towns of Al-Soura, Al-Harak and Nahat east of Daraa since morning hours.”

@SCD_Daraa tweeted that “Russian warplanes bombard several air strikes in the neighborhoods of Daraa Al-Balad and Al-Soura in the eastern Daraa countryside.”

Hawakir Howran posted on Facebook that Al Soura was targeted by four raids and that a number of civilians were injured.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • "Intensive Russian raids on Al Soura, Al-Misfayrah, Basr Al-Harir and Al-Harak, east of Daraa."
  • "Russian military aviation renews its bombing with several air strikes on residential neighborhoods in each of # Daraa Al-Balad and the town of Al-Sura in the eastern Daraa countryside. Civil Defense teams are working to respond quickly in the locations of the raids."
  • "Russian warplanes bombard several air strikes in the neighborhoods of Daraa Al-Balad and Al-Soura in the eastern Daraa countryside."
  • "More than 200 Russian raids on the towns of Al-Soura, Al-Harak and Nahat east of Daraa since morning hours."

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
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]