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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Russian Military
Country
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Civilian deaths alleged
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Incident Code

RS302

Incident date

December 22, 2015

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians are listed as killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Idlib on December 22nd, according to the Violations Documentation Center. However both victims are also listed as having died in a strike on Idlib on December 20th. There are no additional reports of airstrikes on Idlib for December 22nd.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Taha Bakro or Taha Mohammad Bakro
Adult male killed
Ibraheem Ahmad Qousurah
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • 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

For December 18th-23rd, Russia reported that “In the course of five days, on December 18-23, aircraft of the Aerospace Forces in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 302 combat sorties engaging 1093 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Homs and Deir ez-Zor provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS334

Incident date

December 30, 2015

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

One adult male, named by the Violations Documentation Center as media activist Yousef Abo Bilal, (aka Abu al-Homsi Joshua) was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike.

While the VDC lists Hamidiya neighbourhood in Homs, Yousef Abo Bilal actually died in Palmyra. His non-combatant status is also questioned.

As Enabbaladi notes: “Activists from the city of Homs mourned media activist Abu Bilal al-Homsi, who died in an air raid on the city of Palmyra in Homs on Wednesday 30th December. He wrote as activist Abu al-Homsi Joshua through his personal Facebook page… Abu Bilal had announced [in 2014] his pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State.“

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yousef Abo Bilal
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Yousef Abo Bilal, killed by a contested Russian and Syrian Regime raid. (via, SNN)
  • Yousef Abo Bilal, killed by a contested Russian and Syrian Regime raid. (via, Enab Baladi)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia does not appear to have published a strike summary for December 30th-31st 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS366

Incident date

January 11, 2016

Location

معارة الارتيق, Maarat al Arteek, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.247681, 37.053483 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Activists told Shaam News that Russian warplanes targeted Maarat al Arteek with three strikes, using highly explosive missiles. They said that an automated bakery and residential buildings were damaged, which resulted in the death of one person and the injury of 10 others, including serious cases taken to field hospitals.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Zahra
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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

RS398

Incident date

January 16, 2016

Location

معرسة الخان, Ma’arasta al Khan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.38032, 37.0744 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Ma’arasta al Khan, according to the Shaam News Network.

SNN said that 10 civilians were killed in airstrikes on the cities and towns of the northern countryside of Aleppo since Saturday morning: four in Ma’arsta al-Khan, two in Hayyan, two in Tal Rifaat and two in Tamoura, in addition to dozens wounded.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “a number of civilians were killed by Russian airstrikes targeted Ma’arsta al-Khan in the northern countryside,” but did not give casualty figures.

Additionally, the White Helmets said that there were airstrikes on Ma’arasta al Khan, but only said they were carried out by “warplanes“. They published a video showing members of their team putting out fires on the Ma’arasta al Khan road.

The Qasioun News Agency published a video showing a “huge fire” following alleged Russian strikes.

Jisr Satellite Channel and Aleppo Countryside Ma’arasta Khan also attributed the incident to Russia.

However, according to Fresh Syria, the regime was responsible: “Four civilians were killed and several others wounded on Saturday morning, when regime helicopters dropped three explosive barrels on the village of ‘Mararasta Khan’ in the countryside north of Aleppo, according to our correspondent.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • 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]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    'The civil defence moving martyrs and wounded following raids by warplanes on the village of Ma’arasta Khan in the Northern Aleppo countryside.' (via, The White Helmets)
  • Huge fires as a result of alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raids on 16th January 2016. (via, The White Helmets)
  • More footage of the fires which continued into the evening due to their scale. (via, Qasioun News Agency)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its report for military actions on January 19 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of the last four days, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 157 combat sorties engaging 579 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure in the provinces of Aleppo, Raqqah, Latakia, Homs, Hama and Deir ez-Zor.“

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS430

Incident date

January 21, 2016

Location

البغيلية, Al Bgailieh, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.383522, 40.090313 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and six civilians died in an airstrike on Al Bgailieh, according to local sources – though only one source alleged that Russia was responsible.

Step News Agency Tweeted that Russian strikes had hit Al Bgailieh.

According to the Syria News Network, members of Daesh were “killed and wounded following clashes with the Syrian Arab army on the outskirts of al Baghiliya and the north western part of the city“, though they made no mention of civilian casualties.

Baladi News reported that six non-combatants died and others were injured when “warplanes” launched two raids on Al Bgailieh which targeted the “Nour Mosque“, but they did not identify the planes.

The two victims – killed “warplane shelling” – were named by the VDC.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Suraka al-Abbas 
Adult male killed
al-Baraa al-Abbas 
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

No Russian reports were published for January 21st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS464

Incident date

January 26, 2016

Location

معرسة الخان, Ma'arasta Al Khan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.38032, 37.0744 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians – a man and a woman – were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on the road to Ma’arasta Al Khan. Radio Al Kul reported “the martyrdom of Mariam Abdullah aged 30 year from Russian Aviation targeting with rockets on the road of Ma’arasta el Khan in the northern Aleppo countryside this afternoon.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mariam Abdullah
30 years old female named by Radio Al Kul killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS496

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

الصالحية, Al Salhiya, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.7133253, 40.7575607 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a second day of alleged Russian strikes on the town, up to nine civilians including two children and one woman were killed at Al Salhiya, according to local sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights put the death toll at seven, including two children and one woman.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad
Age unknown male “displaced from Al Jora neighbourhood“ killed
Mohammad Al Tarman
Age unknown male “displaced from Al Jora neighbourhood“ killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (2 children1 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 (8) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Long-range bomber aviation aircraft supported units of the Syrian governmental troops which defended the city of Deir ez-Zor. The airstrikes carried out by Tu-22M3 bombers from the territory of the Russian Federation jointly with tactical aviation from the Hmeymim airbase, engaged 23 important terrorists’ objects in that district. The attempt of terrorists to assault Deir ez-Zor was frustrated.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (2 children1 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS532

Incident date

February 3, 2016

Location

غرناطة, Garnata, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8937633, 36.6794443 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Center reported that two adult male civilians, Ahmad al-Kurdi and Yehya al-Omar, were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Garnata. The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies lists just al-Omar as a victim in Garnata, reporting that he was “killed by indiscriminate” Russian shelling.

In a dispatch, Al Jisr TV reported that Garnata had been under artillery fire from nearby regime-loyal villages. “But in the last two days, Garnata has been subjected to more than 70 airstrikes from Russian warplanes” that launched cluster bombs and missiles. Al Jisr reported that a woman and a child were killed and many were left wounded, including “many women and children, mostly refugees.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad al-Kurdi
Adult male killed
Yehya al-Omar
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (0–1 children0–1 women2–1 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the strike on Garnata.

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
    2 – 4
  • (0–1 children0–1 women2–1 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 (3) [ collapse]