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

RS2100

Incident date

April 9, 2017

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma'arat Al-Nu'man, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6477913, 36.6591881 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and three others injured in an airstrike in Ma’arat Al-Nu’man, Idlib, according to local media sources – though it was not clear whether the Assad regime or Russia were responsible.

All of the known sources that reported on this attack, aside from RFS Media Office, attributed responsibility to Russian forces.

Halab Today reported that one civilian was killed and three others injured – the only source to specify the number of civilians injured. AMC Aleppo also reported that one civilian was killed, however, all death tolls later rose to two civilians.

One of those killed was identified by Idlib Network News, whilst the other was only identified as a 50 year old man from the town of Karnaz, in the countryside of Hama.

RFS reported that “the Assad regime repeats its air raids on the towns and villages of Idlib using high-explosive and internationally banned bombs, from cluster and phosphorous bombs.”

A number of cluster bombs were also reportedly found in the town, according to RFS, and were later dismantled so not to endanger civilian life.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Saeed Mohammed Matarmawi
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (13) [ 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 specific strikes between April 1st - 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2274

Incident date

June 7, 2017

Location

عقيربات , Akeirbat, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.0412099, 37.464692 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman and her child – both named – died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Akeirbat, according to local media.

According to the Facebook group ‘Local council of Akeirbat and its countryside’, “\our air raids on the village of Akeirbat by Russian aircraft led to the martyrdom of a woman and her daughter as a result of targeting their house where with a rocket”.

@wesam4naser noted the use of white phosphorous, reporting that the attack occurred at 2.37am local time.

The incident occured at 02:37:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hiam Ahmed al-Hussein
Adult female killed
Child of Hiam Ahmed al-Hussein
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 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 (6) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3592

Incident date

February 24, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.44208, 36.65095 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A civilian man and a woman died and up to six civilians were wounded in alleged regime or Russian air and artillery strikes on Khan Sheikhoun on February 24th, 2019, according to sources on the ground.

@abuhuzaifa_ noted “5 days of continuous and daily shelling of my city”, stating that the smell of blood was everywhere.

According to the Smart News Agency, “one person was killed and others wounded by rocket-propelled grenades of the regime and Russia on the city of Khan Sheikhoun south of Idlib.”

Kafar Zeita reported “the martyrdom of “Bashar Ahmad al Taha” in a missile bombardment by the Russian camps on the city of Khan Sheikhoun.”

The White Helmets said that “a young man died and six other civilians were injured in shelling of the residential areas of the city of #Khan_Sheikhoun with high-explosive missiles land-to-land missiles by the regime forces.”

Horrya – also pointing to the regime – was alone in reporting the death of a woman, adding that “five other civilians” were wounded by regime artillery.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Bashar Ahmad al-Taha
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: "The martyrdom of the young Bashar Ahmad al-Taha and the injury of several people resulting from the barbaric shelling of the city of Khan Sheikhun by the Assad militia God is enough, and yes, the agent.”
  • The White Helmets attend the scene in Khan Sheikhoun following strikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via White Helmets)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets attend the scene in Khan Sheikhoun following strikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The White Helmets attend the scene in Khan Sheikhoun following strikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The White Helmets attend the scene in Khan Sheikhoun following strikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • Translation: 'Destruction within the alleys and streets. Everywhere, wherever you walk around the city and behind it the smells of the blood of its owners who have become victims under the rubble ... 15 days of continuous and daily shelling of my city. Khan Sheikhoun'
  • More scenes of destruction in Khan Sheikhoun.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Warning: extremely graphic: the dead body of Bashar Ahmad al-Taha. (via @sakeraldeen - twitter account now suspended, though Airwars has archived the image)
  • Smoke rises above Khan Sheikhoun following airstrikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via Enab Baladi)
  • Smoke rises above Khan Sheikhoun following airstrikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via Enab Baladi)
  • Smoke rises above Khan Sheikhoun following airstrikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via Enab Baladi)
  • Smoke rises above Khan Sheikhoun following airstrikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via Enab Baladi)
  • Smoke rises above Khan Sheikhoun following airstrikes on Feb 24th 2019 (via Enab Baladi)

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS032

Incident date

October 9, 2015

Location

التمانعة, Al Tamana’h, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed in Al-Tamana’h. While the Violations Documentation Center attributed the deaths to Russian aircraft, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they were killed as a result of actions by Syrian regime helicopters.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fedaa Abdulrazzaq al-Najjar
Adult male originally from Khan Shaykhun, killed in al-Tamana'ah killed
Zeinab Aamer al-Bakri
Adult female originally from Khan Shaykhun, killed in al-Tamana'ah killed

Summary

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

Russia did not publicly report any strikes in Idlib governorate for October 9th-10th 2015: “In the course of the last 24 hours, the main objects for engagement were militants’ command and communication centres, ammunition depots, bases and training camps of terrorists in the Raqqah, Hamah, Damascus and Aleppo provinces.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS160

Incident date

November 17, 2015

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The VDC and Aleppo Eyewitness reported that two named non-combatant men were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike in Al Bab. However, Syrian Martyrs and the Damascus Centre for Human Rights blamed the Assad regime. Other sources simply blamed ‘warplanes.’

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ammar al-Hamad
Adult male killed
Mustafa al-Reene
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3383

Incident date

April 1, 2018

Location

القنبة, Al Qanba, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.700000, 36.700000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Shaam reported: “Russian aircraft launched heavy air strikes resulting in the fall of martyrs and wounded in the cities and towns of Ariha and Khan Sheikoun and Urma Al Jouz and Al Qanba and Kafr Lata and Hazarin and Hamdiyah and Ma’aret Horma in the the southern countryside and the city of Jisr al-Shughour in the western countryside”.

No further details are available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS258

Incident date

December 11, 2015

Location

الفردوس, Al Fardous (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.180995, 37.151892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two adult male civilians were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Fardous, according to the Violations Documentation Centre.

No additional details are presently known.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Mohammad Dabbag
Adult male One victim was ages 55 and the other 56. It is unclear as to which victim was what age. Named by VDC. killed
Waleed Masri
Adult male One victim was ages 55 and the other 56. It is unclear as to which victim was what age. Named by VDC. killed

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3391

Incident date

April 4, 2018

Location

مناطق متعددة في أدلب, Various locations Idlib: Ariha, Khan Sheikhoun, Jisr al-Shughour, Hazarin, Al Rakaya, Abidin, Al-Zayara, Kars’a, Kansfara, Al Bara,Al Hbit,Al Naqir, Al Qastan, Halwaz, Al Ghassaniya, Al Alya,Al Drebat , Ashtabrak , Al Taybat and Al Bashiyriya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.700000, 36.700000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died in Idlib province as airstrikes bombarded towns across the region, local media reported.

Smart News said Syrian forces shelled a market in the town of Bara, injuring four civilians, including a child, who were taken by civil defense teams to local medical points.

Helicopters threw several barrels of explosives on areas around Marj Zuhour and Zizun, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, although there were no reports of casualties. Warplanes also reportedly struck city of Jisr al-Shughur and villages of Sukkari, Ghassaniya and Halwaz in the western countryside of Idlib.

Rakaya and Khan Sheikun suffered material damage although no reports of casualties.

Russian forces destroyed large parts of Ariha according to a source on the ground.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Video of the airstrike in Idlib
  • Several towns across Idlib were struck, April 2018 (TRT)
    https://twitter.com/TRTArabi/status/981604617640402944
  • Several towns across Idlib were struck, April 2018 (TRT)
    https://twitter.com/TRTArabi/status/981604617640402944
  • Several towns across Idlib were struck, April 2018 (TRT)
    https://twitter.com/TRTArabi/status/981604617640402944
  • The city of Jericho was among those hit, April 2018 (Um Youssef)
    https://twitter.com/Omyusifsyria/status/981491863764037632

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown 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
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]