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

RS3262

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

قلعة المضيق, Qal’et Al Madik, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.409617, 36.390495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians from one family were killed, including a man, a woman and two children, and others were injured, in alleged Russian airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, local media reported.

@bokraahla1984 tweeted: “Today, [March 14th] a good resident was killed with his wife, child and daughter, leaving in this life his eldest son, who did not exceed five years, after the Russian raids on the city.”

The White Helmets reported that “two air strikes on residential neighborhoods in  Qal`et Al Madik west of the city of Hama resulted in three martyrs and a number of wounded.The Civil Defense teams worked to target the targeted areas, recover the martyrs and help the injured to medical points.”

However, multiple sources named four civilians – a father, mother, and their two chidren – from the family of  Moawaffaq Rasheed Nasrallah as killed.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult male killed
Adult female killed
Child female killed
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14th March 2018. (via bokraahla1984)
  • Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14th March 2018. (via SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Moawaffaq Rasheed Nasrallah, killed in airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14h March 2018. (via Amer Badi`a Jadou`a)
  • Khaled Moawaffaq Nasrallah  and Jana Moawaffaq Nasrallah, killed in alleged Russia airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14h March 2018. (via SyriaCivilDefense)

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
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3263

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported between eight and 12 civilians were killed in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Arbeen. Sources reported barrel bombing by the regime and airstrikes by Russia.

The lowest death count was given as two. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “two civilians were martyred due to rocket shelling in areas in the city of Arbeen”.

Four fatalities were named by the Violations Documentation Centre, who blamed barrel bombs by the “Syrian government and affiliated militias”.

SCDrifdimashq put the death toll at “seven civilians, including a woman”, nothing that there had been “10 raids on residential areas”.

In total, 12 fatalities were named.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Samir Al Zaghloul
Adult male killed
Abdul Rahman Al-Qalesh
Adult male killed
Ahmad Shati
Adult male killed
Omer al-Khateeb
Adult male killed
Subhiya Al Marji
Adult female killed
Abdul Aziz Sheikh Qweider
Age unknown male killed
Anas Al Shahrour
Age unknown male killed
Adnan Al Zaghloul
Age unknown male killed
Wael Kashka
Age unknown killed
Mazen Mullah
Age unknown killed
Ahmed Snow
Age unknown male killed
Ahmed Shety
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 12
  • (1 woman9–11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ 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
    8 – 12
  • (1 woman9–11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3264

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

حرستا, Harasta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55869, 36.36515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilian males died in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on Harasta, according to local media.

The Violations Documentation Centre listed three unidentified adult male civilians as killed by warplanes belonging to “Syrian government and affiliated militias”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "Photo from today in #Harasta shows the state of the only medical care available, after Syrian govt. & Russia systematically destroyed medical centers. ~ 20,000 civilians at immediate risk. Death toll could be very, very high."

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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3265

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

زملكا, Zamalka, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5261, 36.35385 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Zamalka, according to local media.

@QUSAY_NOOR_reported:  “The town of Zalmalka was targeted with several high-explosive barrels on residential areas and many civilians were injured”.

@Doumarevolutio1 reported four raids.

According to the Step News Agency, “many civilians were killed and injured by a Russian air strike on the town of Zemlka in the eastern Ghouta.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown killed

Summary

  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child following an alleged Russian airstrike on Zamalka, March 14th.

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
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3266

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

حمورية, Hamouriya, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.528464, 36.389472 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a major incident, between 12 and 15 civilians including multiple members from several families were reported killed in alleged Russian or regime strikes on the town of Hamourya. There were also reports of the use of “toxic gases” in the attacks.

@Baraa_Abdul tweeted: The regime is targeting the town of Hamourya with toxic gases now and there are civilian victims

Helicopters committed a massacre in Hamourya and civilian victims are under the rubble. No one pulls them out or rescues the wounded among them”.

According to, @abazeid89: “The situation in Hamourya since yesterday is that Russia has burned and destroyed the city almost completely. Families remained under the basements and could not flee under the shelling towards the rest of Ghouta, some of them came out and were killed. A major assault to storm the city by Russian aviation continues, 5,000 civilians under cellars are threatened with extermination”.

@SiegeWatch noted: “Reports that a convoy of fleeing civilians was directly targeted by an airstrike. New chemical attack, chlorine suspected

“2/ For many in #Hamouriya #حمورية, today is quite literally doomsday. The SCD rescuers are overwhelmed and cannot reach the dead and dying. The town is being demolished.

“3/ Rough estimates that the Syrian government and its allies have bombed Hamouriya today w/ 200+ airstrikes, 100+ barrel bombs, and hundreds of other missiles and mortars. Chemical weapons (chlorine likely), incendiary weapons, and cluster munitions all used. Annihilation”.

Smart added that “One of the strikes targeted the Civil Defense Center in the town directly, which led to his departure from service due to the heavy damage to equipment and mechanisms. We were told that  teams were unable to document all the victims as a result of the destruction of the center”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Ibraheem al-Erbini
Adult male killed
Haytham Ibraheem al-Erbini
Child male killed
Safa Ibraheem al-Erbini
Child female
Khajo al-Erbini
Adult female killed
Amineh al-Erbini
Adult female

Family members (2)

Mohammad al-Naddaf
Adult male killed
Ammar al-Naddaf
Adult male killed

Family members (3)

Mohammad Mostafa Yasin
Child male killed
Obada Mostafa Yasin
Child male killed
Dania Zeno (mother of the two former children)
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Hamdan
Adult male "Media activist and rebel"/ "reporter for Ghouta Media Center". killed
Mohammad al-Rihani
Adult male killed
Ahmad Issa
Adult male killed
Mohammad Khair Tomeh
Adult male killed
Ahmad al-Gemayel
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 15
  • (4 children3 women8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Two children, killed in airstrikes on Hamouriya, 14th March 2018. (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Ahmad Hamdan, killed in airstrikes on Hamouriya, 14th March 2018. (via Euphrates)
  • Ahmed Hamdan, killed in airstrikes on Hamouriya, 14th March 2018. (via Euphrates)
  • Translation: "Media activist and rebel Sadeq Ahmed Hamdan is a martyr today following the Russian bombardment on Hamourya city in Ghouta."
  • Translation: "Martyrdom of the Media (Ahmad Hamdan) As a result of air strikes that targeted residential neighborhoods in the town of # Hammourya"
  • Translation: "Ahmad al-Gemayel is a martyr in an air strike targeting Hamourya in Eastern Ghouta"

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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 15
  • (4 children3 women8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3267

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

سقبا, Saqba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.519286, 36.382427 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that four adult male civilians died in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on Saqba.

@ragga_shkeir tweeted that there were “Russian air strikes with guided missiles and missiles loaded with internationally prohibited cluster bombs”.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “at least 4 civilians were killed as Syrian/Russian warplanes fired missiles on Saqba city in Eastern Ghouta east of Damascus suburbs governorate, on March 14.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 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]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "Watch the moment Russian aviation targeted residential neighborhoods in the city of #Saqba...2018/3/14 .."
  • Translation: "Russian air strikes with Guided missiles and missiles loaded with internationally prohibited cluster bombs"

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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 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

RS3268

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that an unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded in Douma.

No civilian victims were named, though a non-civilian, Hothaifa al-Tout, was reported killed in “clashes with Assad”.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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 (5) [ 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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3269

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

جسرين, Jisreen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5112138, 36.3881891 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two named civilian males died in an alleged regime or Russian air or artillery shelling of Jisreen, according to local media.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male Killed by "Syrian government and affiliated militias" killed
Adult male Killed by "Syrian government and affiliated militias" killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 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 (9) [ 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
    2
  • (2 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 (9) [ collapse]