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

RS155

Incident date

November 17, 2015

Location

سراقب, Saraqib, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.864249, 36.804977 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Russian midnight raid on Saraqib destroyed a bakery in the town. The Idlib Media Centre complained that “this oven is for baking, it’s not the headquarters of the rebels.”

While The Syrian Observatory and Idlib Media Centre reported unspecified casualties, the Syrian News Desk put the toll at one civilian killed, with six injured.

A woman named as a teacher who was reported by VDC as killed in the town in an unspecified airstrike on November 18th. However Smart News attributes this event to the regime, and an accompanying video suggests this may be a separate incident.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fatme Saleem
Adult female a Teacher killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense - Khan Shikhun Center directed a young man from the rubble as a result of the bombing of Russian warplanes

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia reports carrying out cruise missile strikes in Idlib governorate on November 17th 2015.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS188

Incident date

November 22, 2015

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

The Violations Documentation Center listed one adult male civilian, a Palestinian national, as killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Douma.

However, the VDC listed seven further civilians killed that day in Douma “due to regime`s army forces shelling.” And the Syrian Observatory cites the Assad regime as being responsible for the event.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

 Mohammad Jaber
Adult male named by VDC killed

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah, and Deir ez-Zor provinces.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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

Incident Code

RS220

Incident date

December 2, 2015

Location

التمانعة, Al Tamani'ah, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.457626, 36.750314 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian warplanes allegedly targeted the areas of Al Tamaanah and Tal A’as. A woman and her unborn child were said by Syria News to have been killed – though it blamed the Assad regime for the deaths.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Tamani’ah (التمانعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.457626, 36.750314. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

For November 26th-December 4th 2015, Russia reported carrying out 431 combat sorties, including strikes in Idlib.

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS253

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807607, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One 30-year-old male civilian, Mohammad Muffed Razzouq, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Salheen, according to the Violations Documentation Centre.

No further details are available at the present time.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Muffed Razzouq
30 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS317

Incident date

December 25, 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, Yehya Abdulrazzaq Hamdan “al-Kerbaa”, was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Palmyra, according to the Violations Documentation Center.

Fresh Syria said Russian aircraft had targeted the city’s industrial district.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yehya Abdulrazzaq Hamdan “al-Kerbaa”
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Yehya Abdulrazzaq Hamdan "al-Kerbaa", killed in an alleged Russian raid. (via, VDC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Yehya Abdulrazzaq Hamdan "al-Kerbaa", killed in an alleged Russian raid. (via, VDC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

There were no published Russian reports for strikes in Syria on December 24th-25th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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

RS2926

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

القرويطة, Al-Qarweta, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.521111, 36.437222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman was killed and another was injured in airstrikes which struck the vicinity of Al-Qarweta. All sources either blamed Russian warplanes for the raids or did not attribute blame.

Sources reported that the Russian shelling struck the outskirts of the village of Al-Qarweta in Mount Shahshabo.

The woman was allegedly displaced.

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
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

R3547

Incident date

June 4, 2019

Location

ديرسنبل, Deir Sunbul, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, Russian and Syrian regime forces carried out a series of airstrikes using rockets and heavy artillery shells on several cities, killing one child in Deir Sunbul and injuring other civilians. The source claimed that the rockets used were loaded with phosphorus.

The victim child was identified as Hadi Sami Al-Ma’arouf.

No other details are known at this time.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Hadi Sami Al-Ma’rouf هادي سامي المعروف
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense teams searching through the rubble after an airstrike struck Deir Sunbul on June 4th (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams searching through the rubble after an airstrike struck Deir Sunbul on June 4th (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams searching through the rubble after an airstrike struck Deir Sunbul on June 4th (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams searching through the rubble after an airstrike struck Deir Sunbul on June 4th (via Syrian Civil Defense).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Hadi Sami Al-Ma'arouf was killed in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime forces airstrikes on Deir Sunbul on June 4th, 2019. (via ِAyahm Ma’rof ).

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3790

Incident date

June 11, 2019

Location

طبيش, Tbeesh, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

Multiple sources report the death of civilians including a child and the wounding of others in airstrikes on a school in Tbeesh, Idlib, June 11th.

Syrian Network for Human Rights claimed that regime forces “fired a missile on Tbeesh Primary School , killing Omar Bassam al Hasan.

Both Syrian Network for Human Rights and Step News Agency stated that the school was damaged in the attack.

Smart News and Local Coordination Committee for Syria also alleged the wounding of others in the incident.

While the majority of sources attributed the attack to the Syrian regime, Shaam News also referred to Russian forces in the reporting of the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Omar Bassam al Hasan عمر بسام الحسن
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ 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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]