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

RS2994

Incident date

February 7, 2018

Location

سراقب, Saraqeb, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859101, 36.797731 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, two civilians were killed and several were wounded, as alleged Russian or other, unknown warplanes struck Saraqeb, Idlib.

All sources reported that aerial shelling has caused civilian harm, at least two killed and several wounded. For example, Edlib Media Center (EMC) reported: “two civilians were killed by the Russian occupation aircraft targeting the vicinity of the city of Sarqeb in the countryside of Idlib with rockets, this morning.”

 

 

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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 (3) [ 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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2987

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

مسرابا, Mesraba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55027, 36.39659 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The town of Mesraba, Damascus, was hit by an airstrike that killed between one and five civilians, including two children and at least one women, and wounded several others, local media reported. It was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime was to blame.

According to local reports, the incident in Mesraba was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), called it the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

While Masar News reported one fatality, the remaining sources agreed that the strike had killed at least five civilians. SOHR and the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported that two children were among the victims, adding that one or two women were also killed.

The Twitter account Qais Shami reported that “a father misses his three children in Masraba as a result of the missiles fired by the criminal regime’s planes”, suggesting that the number of killed children reached three and that they were siblings.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (2–3 children1–2 women)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A little girl was reportedly among the victims of the contested airstrike in Mesreba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via AJA News)
  • The moment Mesreba, Damascus, is being hit by the contested airstrike on Februar 6th, 2018 (via @HosamDamascene)
  • The moment Mesreba, Damascus, is being hit by the contested airstrike on Februar 6th, 2018 (via Abu Qusai)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A little girl was reportedly among the victims of the contested airstrike in Mesreba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.


Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (2–3 children1–2 women)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2988

Incident date

February 6, 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

Up to five civilians, including a child and woman, were killed and “many” wounded following Assad or Russian-waged aerial shelling of Hamouriya, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

According to local reports, the incident in Hamouriya was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this was the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

An activist told al-Araby that four civilians, including a child, were killed by shelling of Hamuriya, and most reports agreed that four civilians were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported five fatalities, adding that a child and a woman were among these.

Without specifying, sources mentioned that “several” or “many” civilians were left wounded.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Even though most sources identified the Syrian regime as responsible, Russian culpability cannot be excluded as Local Coordination Committees of Syria pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1 child1 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1 child1 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2989

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

زملكا, Zamalaka, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

As many as seven civilians, including a child and three women, were killed and up to dozens were wounded following Assad or Russian-waged aerial shelling of Zamalaka, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local sources reported.

According to local reports, the incident in Zamalaka was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this was the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

Reports spanned from three to seven fatalities, the highest reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), who added that one child and three women were among the killed.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported the death of “at least four civilians, including a woman and her daughter.” Additionally, Irafa Sawtak published a photo of a father carrying his the body of his daughter.

Damascus Media Center was the only source who identified one of the victims by name as the adult man, Mahmoud Idris.

While few reports mentioned the number of wounded, Alaa Ahmad tweeted that the toll reached “dozens”.

It remains unclear who is to blame. Even though most sources identified the Syrian regime as responsible, including SOHR and SN4HR, Russian culpability cannot be excluded as Local Coordination Committees of Syria pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1 child1–3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Footage from the immediate aftermath of the contested aerial shelling of Zamalaka, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Alaa Ahmad)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A father carrying the body of his death child following the contested airstrikes in Zamalaka, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Irafa Sawtak)
  • One of the victims of the contested airstrikes in Zamalaka, Damascus, February 6th, 2018, identified as Mahmoud Idris (via Damascus Media Center)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1 child1–3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2990

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

حزة, Hazza, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.52034, 36.36494 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three and as many as nine civilians were killed and one child was wounded, following aerial and possible missile shelling of Hazza, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, according to local media reported – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

According to local reports, the incident in Hazza was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this was the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

While most sources reported that three civilians were killed, Syrian Press Center said that nine were killed in two raids. None of the sources provided details about age or gender.

At least one civilian was left wounded as the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) published a photo of a little child receiving treatment for the wounds he sustained by the strikes.

It should, however, be noted that while most reports referred to aerial shelling, Masrawy News and SN4HR, both attributing blame to the Syrian regime, mentioned the use of missile attacks.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Even though most sources identified the Syrian regime as responsible, Russian culpability cannot be excluded as Local Coordination Committees of Syria pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 9
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A wounded child following the contested shelling of Hazza, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 9
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2984

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

جوبر, Jobar, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.528874, 36.337967 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and six civilians were killed as Russian and/or Assad warplanes struck the town of Jobar, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

According to local reports, the incident in Jobar was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. In Jobar, most sources reported the death of two civilians, while Local Coordination Committees of Syria was alone in saying that six died.

DMC Press identified the name of one male fatality.

It should be noted that while all sources only mentioned airstrikes, Douman Revolution1 reported that both “two air strikes and artillery shelling” had struck the town.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Daily Sabah News identified the Syrian regime as responsible while LCCSY pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The remaining sources did not apportion blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Locals attending a prayer a victim of the contested strikes in eastern Ghouta on February 6th, 2018, identified by this source as Muslim Sawan. However, it is unclear whether if he was killed from the strikes in Jobar as reported by this source, as Smart News Agency published the same photo in relation to the strikes in Kafr Batna, also on February 6th (via DMC Press)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.


Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2991

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

مديرا, Mdyra, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.544613, 36.3861 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians, including up to two children and one woman, were killed following alleged Assad or Russian-waged aerial shelling and/or missile attacks of Mdyra, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

According to local reports, the incident in Mdyra was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this was the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

Local reports mentioned between two and four fatalities. Both Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported “at least” four victims, including one or two children and one woman.

None of the sources mentioned whether if the incident wounded any civilians.

While most reports referred to aerial shelling, Masrawy News reported about both “air and missile attacks” in eastern Ghouta on February 6th, why it is possible that ground-launched weaponry also caused the civilian harm.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Even though most sources identified the Syrian regime as responsible, including SOHR and SN4HR, Russian culpability cannot be excluded as LCCSY pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • 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

RS2992

Incident date

February 6, 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

Between two and four civilians, including one child and one woman, were killed and at least one child was wounded following alleged Assad or Russian-waged aerial shelling of Saqba, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

According to local reports, the incident in Saqba was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this was the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

While HalabTodayTV reported two fatalities, other sources reported three and four. For example, the Syrian Press Center reported that four civilians were killed by one airstrike. SOHR also reported four victims, including one woman. Additionally, SOHR reported that “areas” of Sabqa was subject to aerial shelling, indicating more than one strike.

The only victim identified by name was the three-months-old child Ibrahim, the son of a White Helmet volunteer, Saaed, as depicted below, reported by Hadi Abdullah.

While no sources reported the number of wounded, the incident inflicted great damage on residential houses, and according to videos and photos, several civilians, including at least one child, were left under the rubble.

All sources besides Masrawy News reported about aerial shelling. However, because Masrawy News reported about both aerial shelling and missile attacks in eastern towns Ghouta on February 6th, it is possible that ground-launched weaponry also caused civilian harm.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. While most sources, including SOHR and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, identified the Syrian regime as responsible, Damascus Media Center pointed to Russia.

Meanwhile, LCCSY pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

3 months years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • A White Helmet member carrying the body of his dead child, Ibrahim, who was killed by the contested airstrikes in Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Hadi Abdullah)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civil Defence trying to rescue children from under the rubble following the contested airstrikes in Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Abu Alhuda Homsi)
  • The immediate, chaotic aftermath of the contested airstrikes in Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Mohammed ALdaher)
  • The moment the contested airstrikes hit Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
  • The moment the contested airstrikes hit Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
  • Child stuck in the rubble of his home following the contested airstrikes hit Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via SN4HR)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ collapse]