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

RS1279

Incident date

September 19, 2016

Location

ميادين, Al Mayadin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.0170037, 40.4164905 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five to six civilians including several children were killed in airstrikes on Al Mayadeen, outside Deir Al-Zour, local sources reported. All but one source blamed Russia for the event.

Step News said “four civilians were killed and others injured in a similar raid targeting al Jaish street and Al Haram street near al Saraya in al Mayadeen in the eastern countryside.”

SyrianPC news also described “widespread destruction in residential buildings.”

@syriaalive54 referenced “three martyrs, including a girl, who died after being bombed by the Russian aviation with cluster bombs on the city of the eastern Al Mayadin # countryside at dawn today.”

Several other local sources also claimed several casualties from Russian cluster bomb airstrikes at dawn.

However, one source, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, attributed the event to the Assad regime, reporting the death of “three civilians including a girl when government warplanes missiles fired on Al Mayadein city in Deir Ez-Zour governorate”.

Syrian Press Center added that the strikes “targeted the area around the Saraya building in al Mayadeen with two cluster bombs”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad al Nouri al Ba’aj
Age unknown male killed
Khaled Khalil al Ghada’an
Age unknown male killed
Yaman Jassem al Sa’aran
Age unknown female killed
Walid Nu’man al Raja
Adult male killed
Qussai Abboud al Hamidi
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (1–3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–15
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Walid Nu’man al Raja, reportedly victim of the airstrikes targeting Mayadin (via Deir Ezzor is being slaughtered silently Facebook)
  • Image showing the airstrikes targeting Al Mayadin, Deir Ezzor (via Jsirtv)

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
    5 – 6
  • (1–3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–15
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1311

Incident date

September 23, 2016

Location

حي السكري, Sukkari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.17594, 37.14111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local media, a man named Mohammad Houri and an unidentified woman were killed, along with as many as 11 others, with dozens more wounded, by cluster bombs striking the al Sukkari neighbourhood in Aleppo. Some reports said the regime struck the neighbourhood, while others implicated Russian forces.

Syrians News claimed the most casualties, stating “in addition to dropping barrel bombs, Assad’s helicopters fired artillery and rocket launchers, killing 13 civilians, mostly women and children, and wounding dozens of others.”

Smo-sy News said Russian aviation accounted for 11 civilian deaths, also noting that the dead were mostly women and children.

Smart News reported that Russian bombings of three neighbourhoods, including al Sukkari, killed 30 civilians in total.

@TRTAlarabiya, @mediacenterfr, @ALAMAWI, @RFS_NORTH all corroborated reports of cluster and barrel bombs being used on the neighbourhood.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Houri
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 13
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Civilians standing in the rubble in the aftermath of the contested airstrikes on al-Sukkari (via Qasioun News Agency)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes on al-Sukkari, leaving parts of the area complete destroyed (via Baladi News Network)

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
    2 – 13
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1343

Incident date

September 25, 2016

Location

الصاخور, Al Sakhour (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2179122, 37.1892357 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and 15 civilians were killed in either Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the Al Sakhour neighbourhood of Aleppo, local media reported.

Microsyria reported 15 civilians were killed in the raids.

According to Almesryoon, civilian infrastructure was struck by Russian jet, including “popular markets and bakeries”.

Hassannkanjo wrote on Twitter: “Russian aviation targets the Al Sakhour neighbourhood  with internationally banned phosphorous bombs.”

However, Almadinco and Allsory_alhor cited the use of barrel bombs which could indicate Syrian regime involvement.

Moreover, according to the Smart News Agency, “regime Warplanes targeted the Al Sakhour and Bustan Ak Kaser neighbourhoods with missiles, but these did not explode”.

Additionally, the use of “internationally banned phosphorous bombs” – allegedly dropped by Russia – was noted by in a tweet by @Hssankanjo.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mustapha Fares
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 15
  • 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]

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
    1 – 15
  • 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

RS1375 CS319

Incident date

September 30, 2016

Location

البصيرة, al Basira, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.15618, 40.42716 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four to 20 civilians were reported killed and 12 or more injured after an alleged Coalition, Russian or Assad regime strike at al Basira, according to local media.

A photograph published by Euphrates Post showed what appeared to have been a major strike in a built up area of the town. And a video showed significant damage to a civilian neighbourhood, with a vegetable market also reportedly hit.

Most sources blamed the Assad regime, with Step News suggesting a far higher death toll: “Military regime aircraft today targeted a market in the town of al Basira resulting in a massacre of more than 20 people were killed.”

Ara news said 15 civilians were killed by Russia. Al Jazeera also pointed to Russia.

The Syrian Observatory said 10 died at al Basira in unidentified strikes. And Shaam News was also unable to blame the perpetrator.

Eldorar news made no mention of casualties – but said the Coalition had bombed al Basira bridge that day, “which is the last bridges in the eastern countryside linking the villages of the province, north of the Euphrates and villages south.”

In their May 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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 20
  • (3 children3 women)
  • 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, US-led Coalition

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Image of the contested airstrike targeting al-Basira, 30th September 2016. (via Euphrates)
  • Euphrates post tweets a photo of one of the warplane raids on al Basira. 30th September 2016
  • DE24 reports the death of one man and injury of others following warplane shelling on al Basira. 30th September 2016

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

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
    37SFU299912
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2020

  • Sept. 30, 2016, in Al Basira, 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. 3055/CS319 37SFU299912

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

The Coalition reported from September 30 2016: ‘On Sept. 30, coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets'
Al-Basira however did not appear on the list of locations that it reportedly targeted.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 20
  • (3 children3 women)
  • 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, US-led Coalition

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1409

Incident date

October 5, 2016

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

Five civilians including a woman and a child died in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Douma, according to sources on the ground. A further 20 non-combatants were claimed wounded.

Syria News Desk reported: “five civilians: a child, a disabled man, an old man, a woman and a young man children and disabled and elderly woman and a young man, and wounded more than 20 others”. Furthermore, the media reported that “the bombing has led to widespread destruction of homes and in the streets”. The twitter account @Douma_revo even reported about the illegal use of cluster bombs.

It remained contested who carried out the strikes in the city of Douma, which was controlled by the opposition. Most pointed to the Assad regime, such as Madar daily, Syrian Civil Defense, Ara News, while Syria News Desk attributed the strike to both the Assad regime and Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Islam Al-Shaeikh
4 years old identified by Micro Syria killed
Maha Sa’eb
45 years old female identified by Micro Syria killed
Yasser Nu’man
45 years old male identified by Micro Syria killed
Khaled Hassan Al-Jirudi
55 years old male identified by Micro Syria killed
Mohammed Al-Tubji
50 years old male identified by Micro Syria killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty is taken away from the scene by members of the White Helmets. (via SMO)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. Showing damage to civilian homes, (via, Baladi)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A disabled man and his wife were killed in an alleged raid. (via YousefAlboustany)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man receives medical treatment in a hospital following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Doumamedical)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man receives medical treatment in a hospital following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Doumamedical)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Islam Al-Sheikh, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Douma. (via Islam Al-Sheikh)

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
    5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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

RS1441

Incident date

October 12, 2016

Location

حي الكلاسة, Al Kalassa (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1923129, 37.1477151 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Aleppo’s Al Kalassa neighbourhood, local media reported.

According to LCCSY, there were “six martyrs and some wounded, most of them still stuck under the rubble, after Russian warplanes carried out bunker buster missile attacks on Kalasah neighborhood.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “suspected Russian warplanes fired missiles on Al Sabhan Mosque in Al Kalaseh neighborhood in Aleppo city, damaging it severely and rendering it inoperable”.

Shahba added that an unspecified number of civilians were wounded as a result of Russian strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An image depicting serious damage to civilian homes in the aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Al Kalassa, Oct 12th (via SN4HR)

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
    6
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1473

Incident date

October 17, 2016

Location

Al Zar'aroura, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1656062, 36.9718334 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five or six civilians including children and women died in a strike on the Al Za’aroura area near Kafr Naha in the western Aleppo countryside, according to sources on the ground. The majority of sources attributed the incident to Russia, though one pointed towards the regime. Several other reports didn’t identify the culprit.

LCCSY put the death toll at five including two children and two women, and blamed Russia.

Halab News, meanwhile, listed unidentified victims as “a child, two men and two women”.

According to Orient, “five civilians were killed and others injured by air strikes carried out by Russia on the outskirts of the town of Kafr Naha in the western part of Aleppo. Aircraft targeted the Al Za’aroura area near the town of Kafr Nahah with rockets. The Civil Defense teams evacuated the injured and victims to medical hospitals.”

@MasarPressNet reported that six civilians died in the attack, but didn’t name the culprit.

According to Baladi, “rocket-propelled grenades” struck the area – but the source didn’t apportion blame.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed to the regime, reporting that “at least five victims died due to government warplanes (allies) missiles fired on Al Za’rora area near Kafr Naha town in Aleppo governorate, October 17, 2016.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (1–2 children2 women)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Destruction to civilian homes depicted here in Al Zar'aroura. (via Baladi news Network)
  • Civilians digging through and saving what is left of their homes in Al Zar'aroura following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on 17th October 2016. (via SNN)
  • Civil defence dig through the rubble in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via baladinetwork)
  • Civil defence dig through the rubble in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via baladinetwork)
  • Civil defence dig through the rubble in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via baladinetwork)
  • Civil defence dig through the rubble in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via baladinetwork)

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
    5 – 6
  • (1–2 children2 women)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1505

Incident date

October 26, 2016

Location

الرستن‬, Ar-Rastan, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.93, 36.74 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Colonel Shawqi Ayoub, “commander of the Homs operations room of the Free Syrian Army”, died in an alleged Syrian regime airstrike on Al Rastan, according to local media.

According to Qasioun, Ayoub (pictured below) died “while inspecting the field situation in Ain Hussein’s front. The engineer Faisal Awad also died”.

Qasioun added that the regime reportedly then struck Ayoub’s funeral procession.

@alEtihad_Press tweeted that “four prominent officers in the Homs Corps” died, while @AJA_Syria put this number at five.

However, according to LCCSY, five people were killed by a Russian strike in Homs – though the source didn’t state the victims’ combat status.

@SMARTNewsAgency tweeted that there were “two casualties” as a result of a regime bombing on Al Rastan. Again, the combat status was not given, and it wasn’t stated whether they were wounded or killed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Colonel Shawqi Ayoub, “commander of the Homs operations room of the Free Syrian Army”, died in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via al Etithad Press)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

On 20th October 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported on the decisions made aimed towards stabilising the situation in Aleppo.

""Today, strikes by the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force are finished at 10:00 (MSK) in the area of Aleppo. Early termination of the airstrikes is essential for holding a “humanitarian pause” on October 20, 2016”, said General of the Army Sergei Shoigu. According to him, it will allow to guarantee security of civilians leaving the city through 6 humanitarian corridors and to prepare casualty and medical evacuation from the eastern part of Aleppo.
“We apply to the leadership of countries influencing on armed formations active in the eastern part of Aleppo with a proposal to convince their leaders to stop warfare and leave the city,” stated the Minister of Defence.
According to General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, by the start of the “humanitarian pause” the Syrian troops will have been withdrawn to the distance safe for insurgents to leave the city with weapons through two special corridors: one – along the Kastello road, second – in the area of Suk al-Hai market."

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
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]