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

RS604

Incident date

February 13, 2016

Location

ضاحية الكهرباء, Dahiat al Kharaba, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1682296, 37.0184326 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Shaam News Network reported two children killed in alleged Russian airstrikes: “Russian planes continued their raids on the town of Khan Al A’ssal and Dahiat al Kahraba neighbourhood which led to the dead of two children [girls] in the latter.”

Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies also said that two unidentified civilians died in a Russian strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 10th – February 16th, Russia reported: “On February 10-16, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 444 combat sorties engaging 1593 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Aleppo.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2731

Incident date

November 14, 2017

Location

صبيخان, Sabikhan, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.85305, 40.59987 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were killed and others were injured, following airstrikes on Sabikhan, according to local media. Both Russia and the Syrian regime were responsible, according to sources.

Media suggested that a river crossing was targeted by the raids.

“The shelling killed a civilian and injured others, mostly women and children, amid acute shortage of medical personnel and medicines and the exit of most hospitals from service by intensive shelling, according to activists.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fawaz Fennesh al-Sa'oun
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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

Sources (13) [ 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
    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

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1679 IRS001

Incident date

November 20, 2017

Location

القريا, Al Quoriya, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.96, 40.55 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reportedly killed by a drone strike in al Qouriya, local media said, though neither source has said who was responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “two men were killed and another was wounded after being targeted by a drone in the al-Quriyah area”.

Sharqiya Voice provided some more detail, naming the victims as Abdul Rahman Al Ali Al Aboud and Ali Abdul Rahman Al Aboud, and said that they “were targeted by an unmanned drone after they lost their way and approached the front line of IS in the city of Qouriya”. It added that “Hamid Al-Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Sayel was injured in the eyes”.

The United States, UK and Iran all operate armed drones above Syria.

Eabirsabil published two videos on YouTube showing ” the signs of the destruction following unprecedented raids on the town”. Meanwhile, Al Araby TV and Smart confirmed that the regime had control of al Qouriya – suggesting that any strike may have been linked to regime or Russian aircraft.

On December 11th, 2019, SHRC  reported that  Ibrahim Mamoun Al-Qaitum, a child, has died of injuries in the shelling of Qah camp.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abdul Rahman Al Ali Al Aboud
male killed
Ali Abdul Rahman Al Aboud
male killed

The victims were named as:

Hamid Al-Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Sayel
Age unknown male injured
Ibrahim Mamoun Al-Qaitum
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • 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
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime, Russian Military, Iranian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Qurayya (القريا), for which the coordinates are: 34.96, 40.55

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 19th-20th the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in Syria.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime 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

Civilian casualty statements

Syrian Regime
  • Oct 26, 2018

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • 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
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime, Russian Military, Iranian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1103

Incident date

August 5, 2016

Location

Ein Tarma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

33.51602, 36.35078 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died in an airstrike on Ein Tarma, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

SCDrifdimashq also listed this man and said that a second ‘unknown martyr’ died.

According to Smart, “a child was injured by regime artillery”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hasan Batheesh.
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (18) [ 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 August 1st – 10th 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
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3828

Incident date

August 19, 2019

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma`arat Al Nu`man, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

One to two civilians were reported killed in airstrikes on Ma`arat Al Nu`man, Idlib, on August 19th.

Smart News documented “two civilians killed by regime warplanes on the outskirts of Ma’aret al-Nu’man city, south of Idlib”, while @abuhuzaifa_ tweeted, “civilians wounded due to warplanes shelling residential neighborhoods of Ma’aret al-Nu’man city with vacuum missiles.”

Meanwhile @IdlibPlus and other sources cited “a civilian martyr and a number of injuries” as a result of Russian warplanes targeting the outskirts of Ma’rat Al-Nu`man.

Sources variously attributed the attack to Russian forces and/or the Syrian regime.

No other information is known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • 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 (5) [ 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

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS1692

Incident date

November 26, 2016

Location

المنصورة, Al Mansoura, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.83869, 38.7462902 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were killed and 10 others were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on the town of Al Mansoura in the western countryside of Aleppo, local media reported.

According to a civil defense official of Hussein al-Masri, “an aerial bombardment by Russian aircraft targeted the Shifa pharmaceutical factory in the town of Al Mansoura in Aleppo, causing the death of victims as well as large destruction in the factory.”

The majority of other local sources, including Smart News, also attributed the airstrikes to Russian airplanes or did not identify who was responsible.

Reports stated that the civilians that were killed in the airstrikes were employees, including the director of the factory, and the damage to the factory rendered it inoperable.

Videos posted by Baladi Network and Smart News show the destruction to the Shifa pharmaceutical factory caused by the airstrikes, including blood stains from the injured workers.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • 'Aerial bombardment of the town of Mansoura and Shifa pharmaceutical factory in the western Aleppo countryside.'

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 November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1800

Incident date

December 28, 2016

Location

عين الفيجة, Ain Fijeh, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.616058, 36.179599 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or two civilians were killed, and a minimum of 10 were wounded, in raids on Ain Fijeh. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame the raids, with most blaming the Syrian regime, and some attributing blame to Russia.

Only two sources mentioned the death of a civilian in Ain Fijeh.

One source – Sky News Arabia – reported the death of a civilian, however, this source is the same report as from the previous incident – RS1799 – where it stated: “A civilian was also killed and others were injured, including a civil defence volunteer, following the bombing of Syrian warplanes on the villages of Basima, Dir Muqrin and Ayn al-Fijah”.

Despite this, another single source – @FreeArmyNews – reported that “heavy shelling today resulted in the death of two and the injury of at least 10 civilians”.

In a similar fashion to the previous incident in Basima – RS1799- it was reported that there were as many as eight raids with missiles, cluster bombs, artillery, explosive barrel bombs and “dozens of rockets”.

This allegedly led to extensive material destruction including the cities water-pipes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The exact moments an alleged air or artillery strike hit Ain Fijeh, 28th December 2016. (via Qasioun news Agency)
  • The exact moments an alleged air or artillery strike hit Ain Fijeh, 28th December 2016. (via Qasioun news Agency)

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 December 1st – 31st 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1760

Incident date

December 6, 2016

Location

حي السكري , Al Sukkari neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians were reportedly killed during an alleged Russian airstrike on the al Sukkari neighbourhood in Aleppo, according to local media sources.

Halab News reported that the two unidentified civilians were killed “following Russian enemy raids” on al Sukkari.

Whilst Step News Agency corroborated the fact that there were Russian airstrikes in al Sukkari on this day, they did not explicitly mention any civilian harm in this particular neighbourhood. They did, however, report that 30 civilians died “in the city of Aleppo from Russian aerial bombardment”.

There were no other known sources reporting on the incident in al Sukkari.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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 (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 has not reported any specific strikes between December 1st – 31st 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Summary

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