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

RS2871

Incident date

January 8, 2018

Location

تل منس, Tal Mannas, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.636819, 36.737163 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that “twelve unidentified civilian martyrs, from Idlib-Talmans, were killed by the indiscriminate bombardment of the Russian Air Force.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

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
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2870

Incident date

January 8, 2018

Location

المعيصرونة, Al-Ma'essrouna, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.563582, 36.743431 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as eight civilians were injured due to airstrikes which struck Al-Ma’essrouna, near Ma’arat al Numan, local media said. All sources blamed Russian warplanes, except Qasioun News, who pointed to the Assad regime.

Step News Agency reported that there were “civilian casualties” in Al-Ma’essrouna, however did not specify whether these were dead or wounded.

Baladi reported eight wounded and blamed Russian warplanes.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • "Air raids of the regime on Ma'arat al-Nu'man, south of Idlib"

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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

RS2869

Incident date

January 8, 2018

Location

ابو حبة, Abu Hibba, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.530809, 36.775364 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A civilian was killed and others were wounded in airstrikes which struck Abu Hibba, according to sources on the ground. Local media was conflicted as to who was to blame, some attributing blame to Russia while others blamed the Syrian regime.

According to the Step News Agency, explosive barrels were used, a bomb normally used by the Syrian regime.

Abu Hibba was one of several towns which were bombed on the 8th of January.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
    1
  • 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

RS2865

Incident date

January 7, 2018

Location

شارع الثلاثين, al Thalatheen street, Idlib city, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.9266201, 36.6180588 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 43 civilians including many women and children died and tens more were wounded in at least one major explosion in Idlib on January 7th, local media said. The event was widely reported as a car bombing, reportedly targeting theheadquarters of the Caucasus Army, allied with the Sham Liberation Organization (formerly Nasra Front),  located on Al-Thalatheen Street in the center of Idlib. However, residential builidings were also hit, and according to the source Rudaw, there were four bombings.

While the vast majority of sources attributed the civilian harm to a car bombing, there were also several allegations that Russian warplanes had struck the street with highly explosive missiles.

Nedaa-sy reported: “A violent explosion rocked the city of Idlib on Sunday evening [Jan 7th], the result of a car bomb, which led to dozens of deaths and injuries, and the number is still likely to increase.

“At least 25 people were killed in the blast, most of them children and women. Dozens of people were injured in the explosion, he said. Al-Thalatheen Street, where the explosion took place west of the city, is usually overcrowded.

“The explosion destroyed a number of residential buildings and set fire to other buildings. Our correspondent explained that the civil defense teams and the ambulance rushed to the scene to save the injured and to remove the victims from the rubble.”

Alkhaleej Online said that “the explosions occurred in a sequence”, adding that 30 people died and 70 more were injured. But other sources put the number of wounded as high as 106.

@Halab Today blamed a Russian strike, putting the civilian death toll at 37, including 11 women. It added that “three residential buildings were destroyed”.

Syrianoor also pointed to an airstrike rather than a car bombing, reporting that “witnesses said the explosion was not caused by a car bomb, but bombed by aviation.”

Free Deir Ezzor named the “family of Tayseer al-Hatimi” as killed again pointing to “warplanes”, which had reportedly struck a residential building. The family were from the town of Hassrat in the Idlib countryside.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

A member of the family of Tayseer al-Hatimi
killed
A member of the family of Tayseer al-Hatimi
killed
A member of the family of Tayseer al-Hatimi
killed
A member of the family of Tayseer al-Hatimi
killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    23 – 43
  • (4–9 children5–11 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–106
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, jan 7th 2018 (via Nedaa-sy)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 7th 2018 (via Baladi)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 7th 2018 (via Souriyati)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child following the explosion in Thalatheen street, Idlib, jan 7th 2018 (via Idleb city)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child following the explosion in Thalatheen street, Idlib, jan 7th 2018 (via Idleb city)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child following the explosion in Thalatheen street, Idlib, jan 7th 2018 (via Idleb city)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child following the explosion in Thalatheen street, Idlib, jan 7th 2018 (via Idleb city)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 8th 2018 (via Horrya)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 8th 2018 (via Horrya)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 8th 2018 (via Horrya)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 8th 2018 (via Zaman alwasl)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 8th 2018 (via Syrian noor)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 8th 2018 (via Free Deir Ezzor)
  • The aftermath of the explosion on Thalatheen street, Idlib, Jan 8th 2018 (via Free Deir Ezzor)

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

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    23 – 43
  • (4–9 children5–11 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–106
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2862

Incident date

January 7, 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

Between one and 12 civilians were killed – including three children, a woman and a man – and as many as 30 others were wounded in air and artillery strikes on Douma. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, while some attributed blame to Russia and others to the Syrian regime.

One source, Alghad, reported that as many as 12 civilians were killed and 30 others were wounded. All other sources reported that only one man died, and he was also named.

All sources agree that a residential neighbourhood and popular vegetable market were “targeted” in the raids.

Yaqeen Network specified that “warplanes targeted three airstrikes, one of which was carrying an umbrella rocket, in addition to targeting the outskirts of the city with five surface-to-surface missiles”. They also named the male victim.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Akram Omar Al - Hanash
Adult male married killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 12
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

  • The exact moment after an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid struck Douma, 7th January 2018. (via Baladi News Network)
  • The exact moment after an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid struck Douma, 7th January 2018. (via IBN Doma)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Douma, 7th January 2018. (via Barada News)

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 12
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • 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

RS2861

Incident date

January 7, 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

Five civilians were reportedly killed in air and artillery strikes which struck Arbeen in the middle of the night. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, some sources attributing blame to Russia while others blamed the Syrian regime. A handful of sources blamed “warplanes”, not specifying who the belligerent was.

Qalamon, who named two victims for Arbeen, also named 15 other civilians who were allegedly killed by Russian airstrikes on the 7th.

One source reported that there were “13 air raids on the town of Arbeen” with over “460 artillery and missile shells”.

One source reported that rockets were also fired on the vicinity.

Members of the Civil Defence rescued the wounded from the rubble, according to local media, however no sources mentioned a specific number of wounded civilians.

There were large fires in parts of the town, which led to the death of a girl. A graphic image was published showing her entire face burned off.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Sheikh Saeed Abu Mazen
Age unknown male http://dchrs.org/ar/?p=5528 killed
Mohammed Samer Muslimani
Age unknown male http://dchrs.org/ar/?p=5528 killed
Reham al-Najjar
Age unknown male http://dchrs.org/ar/?p=5528 killed
Ahmed Abdullah Kawka
Age unknown male http://dchrs.org/ar/?p=5528 killed
Salam Quweider
Child female http://dchrs.org/ar/?p=5528 killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ahmed Abdullah Kawka, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike on Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via Martyrs-erbeen)
  • Ahmed Abdullah Kawka, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike on Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via Martyrs-erbeen)
  • Mohammed Sheikh Saeed, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike on Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via Martyrs-erbeen)
  • The exact moment an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike hit Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via @Shehap-agency)
  • The exact moment an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike hit Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via @Shehap-agency)
  • The exact moment an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike hit Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via @Shehap-agency)
  • Civilians are rescued in the aftermath of alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike hit Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via @syriacivildefe)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Salam Qweider, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike on Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via Amin Abd Shami)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Salam Qweider, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike on Arbeen, 7th January 2018. (via Paldf)

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 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 (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2860

Incident date

January 7, 2018

Location

Kafar Nubul, Syria

Geolocation

35.849444, 38.553333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians including a child and a woman died and up to six others were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafar Nubul, according to local media.

Ashark alarabi said that one child died and blamed Russia.

According to the Smart News Agency, “a child was killed and six civilians were wounded” in the strike.

But the White Helmets – who didn’t identify the culprit – said that there were  “two martyrs, a woman and a girl and the wounding of six others when and air raid targeted the homes of civilians in the center of the city of Kafar Nubul”.

@um-yousef put the death toll at three.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mutiaa Abd al Rahman
Adult female http://www.vdc-sy.info/index.php/en/details/martyrs/194889#.XO6I6HdFyUl killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

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 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2868

Incident date

January 7–8, 2018

Location

الفعلول, Al-Fa'loul, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.636442, 36.829906 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as 21 civilians were killed in alleged Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes on the residential town of Al-Fa’loul, according to sources on the ground. Local media blamed both the Syrian regime and Russian warplanes for the airstrikes.

Although most sources report that 12 were killed, the totoal named death count is 16 civilians. In addition to this, Masrawy News, put the death toll as high as 21 including eight children, however they are the only source to put the figure this high.

Gergnaz reported that as well as named victims there were five unidentified bodies due to deformities. They also named four injured victims.

The strikes – which occurred during the night – left dozens wounded and missing, according to local media, “between houses and agricultural land.”

Shahed_alep1 reported the use of internationally banned phosphorous bombs while @abuzied reported the use of rockets and naplam. Both sources attributed blame to Moscow.

One source reported that the bomb was highly explosive – they blamed Russia.

The bombing was one of a series of blanket bombings of the vicinity of Idlib. Local media reported there had been “dozens of raids on many towns”.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Family members (9)

Dr. Ahmed bin Abdul-Karim Al-Shehd
Adult male killed
Lamia Lababidi
Adult female wife of Dr Ahmed killed
Ibrahim
Age unknown male son of Dr Ahmed killed
Hassan Ahmad al-Abdullah
Age unknown male son in law of Dr Ahmed killed
Umm Muhammad
Adult female mother of Dr Ahmed's wife, from Beit Lababidi killed
Abdullah Ahmad al-Abdullah
Age unknown male killed
Maryam Al-Nu'man
Adult female wife of Abdullah killed
Age unknown male killed
Adult female wife of Ahmed killed

The victims were named as:

Farzat Mohammed Eid al-Abdullah
Age unknown killed
Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Abdullah
Age unknown male killed
Hamoud Ahmed Al-Abdullah
Age unknown male killed
Ahmed Mohammed Ramdan unique
Age unknown male killed
Rabeeb Hassan Ahmed Al-Abdullah
Age unknown killed
Adult female wife of the martyr Hassan Mohammed killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown injured
Age unknown injured
Age unknown injured
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 21
  • (2–8 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, Unknown

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via @abuzied)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of of airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via Jarjanaz)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of of airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via Jarjanaz)
  • A victim of airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via Jarjanaz)
  • Wounded in the aftermath of airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via JGergnaz)
  • A victim of airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via Jarjanaz)
  • Dr. al Shehada, killed in airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via SN4HR)
  • Victims of airstrikes on Al-Fa'loul, 7th Jan 2018. (via Zuhair MHMD)

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

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 21
  • (2–8 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, Unknown

Sources (26) [ collapse]