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)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
4805 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS2482

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

معرة حرمة, Maraat Harma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5497387, 36.5422624 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were wounded and some possibly died as a result of alleged Russian airstrikes against the village of Maarat Harma in southern Idlib according to local media.

Smart News Agency identified Russian planes as responsible but did not give an estimate of how many civilians were injured, only indicating that it was more than one by the use of the plural.

According to the Step News Agency, “Russian warplanes launched an air strike targeting the outskirts of the town of Ma’ra al-Hurama and there was news of dead and wounded civilians.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • An alleged Russian airstrike hits Maarat Harma village, Sept 20th 2017 (via Shamana news)
  • An alleged Russian airstrike hits Maarat Harma village, Sept 20th 2017 (via Shamana news)
  • An alleged Russian airstrike hits Maarat Harma village, Sept 20th 2017 (via Shamana news)
  • An alleged Russian airstrike hits Maarat Harma village, Sept 20th 2017 (via Shamana news)
  • An alleged Russian airstrike hits Maarat Harma village, Sept 20th 2017 (via Shamana news)
  • Translation: 'Russian warplanes targeting the vicinity of the town of Ma'rahharma with two airborne rockets with space rockets'

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
    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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2475

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

جرجناز, Jarjanaz, Syria

Geolocation

35.617076, 36.783132 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mother and four children were killed in their home as alleged Russian or Syrian regime forces struck the town of Jarjanaz.

The death of a sixth civilian was also reported. Those killed included the woman’s grandson, according to local sources. At least five others were injured.

Three “space rockets” hit the town through the night, according to Step News. Akhbar News said the destruction of civilian houses and the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq mosque was due to rocket-propelled grenades.

Activists told Smart News that the house of Hossam Salama, a leader of the al-Ahrar-al-Sham Islamist Movement was damaged but he was not hurt.

The Civil Defense worked to retrieve the dead, transferring the wounded to the nearest medical point.

The incident occured after midnight.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (1–4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Raids destroyed multiple buildings
    http://archive.fo/PDw0x
  • White Helmets in the wreckage
    https://twitter.com/SyrianCoalition/status/910482006928232450
  • A mother and four children died in their their home
    https://twitter.com/HadiAlabdallah/status/910456922117169153
  • Translation: 'Russian aviation targets residential areas in the town of # Jarjanaz countryside Idlib leaving martyrs and wounded'
  • Translation: 'The martyrdom of four children and their child after the Assad regime's flight targeting their home this morning in # Gergnaz countryside # Idlib'
  • Translation: 'Painful scenes of the horrific massacre committed by Russian airliners in the town of Jarjanaz in the countryside of Idlib'
  • Further footage of the aftermath of the strike on Jarjanaz, Sept 20th 2017.
  • A news report on the strike on Jarjanaz, Sept 20th 2017.

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
    4 – 6
  • (1–4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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

RS2478

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

سرجة, Sarja, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5816284, 36.9212293 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between zero and three civilians, including a child, were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes against the town of Sarja in southern Idlib, according to local sources.

Some sources, including Step News Agency, reported that the airstrikes struck the local headquarters of Ahrar Al Sham and three of those injured were militants. Other sources did not mention that those injured were militants or directly referred to those injured as civilians, including the Revolutionary Forces of Syria.

The majority of sources, including Step News Agency and Aletihad Press, blamed Russian planes for carrying out the airstrikes against Sarja. However, conflicting reports were given by Al Araby and the Revolutionary Forces of Syria, which identified the regime as responsible for the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–3
  • 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 (7) [ 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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2483

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

خشام, Khisham, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3020098, 40.2914143 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, members of the same family, were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Khisham in the eastern suburbs of Deir Ezzor according to a local source. Step News Agency was the only source to report on the civilian harm and they identified Russian planes as responsible for carrying out the airstrikes.

The sources do not establish a clear date however, a number of other sources reported clashes on the 19th in the area.

Some graphic images published regarding the clashes in the vicinity y Moussa al Omar, shows the victims to have an a’amaq logo on their dog-tags, suggesting they were members of ISIL.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ 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
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2481

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

قلعة المضيق, Kala'at al Madeeq, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.409617, 36.390495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between six and 12 civilians, including between two and three children and two women, were killed and between five and 37 others were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes against the town of Kala’at al Madeeq in central Syria according to local sources.

Smart News initially reported that eight civilians were killed but later increased their estimate of the death toll to 10, however, the Violations Documentation Centre named 12 victims. Some sources said that a popular market was struck.

Conflicting reports were given of who was responsible for carrying out the airstrikes. For example, the Smart News Agency reported that Russian planes were to blame for the airstrikes while Syrian Network for Human Rights identified the planes as Syrian-Russian alliance forces.

According to Smart News, those killed were mostly children and women and at the time of reporting, the Civil Defence teams were still removing dead and wounded from the rubble. The local hospital could no longer take more patients so the wounded needed to go to nearby hospitals. The airstrikes struck a popular market and the old neighbourhood in the town.

At 0’15” in a video posted by Bawabat hama a man says: “We were sitting here and the plane came and hit us. Eight people were killed and god knows how many wounded, I don’t know how many. I mean it’s a really hard situation.”

One local source reported the death of Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who Airwars researchers believe was a member of the civil administration to the Assad regime.

Syrian Coalition reported that the civil defence continued to search for victims the following day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Wife of Khaled Ayas Al-Jadoo
Adult female killed
Mirna, daughter of Khaled Ayas Al-Jadoo
Child female killed
Manar, wife of Hussein Farijah
Adult female killed
daughter of Hussein Farijah
Child female killed
Mohammed Hassan Al Mustafa
Age unknown male killed
Ayham al Souss
Adult male killed
Khaled Eyas al-Jadoo
Child male killed
Abd al-Hamid Brisho
Adult male killed
Mohammad Abdullah al-Yasouf "al-Nahawand"
Child male killed
Mahmoud Mostafa al-Hallak
Child male killed
Mohammad Khabbas
Adult male killed
Khawla Hosain Fraijeh
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 12
  • (2–5 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–40
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes, 20th September 2017. (via SN4HR)
  • Members of the Civil Defence transfer civilians to local medical facilites, 20th September 2017. (via Syrian Coalition)
  • Members of the Civil Defence transfer civilians to local medical facilites, 20th September 2017. (via SCD)
  • Images of children, Mirna Khaled al Jadou and Khaled Eyas al Jadou, killed in airstrikes against Kala'at al Madeeq on September 20, 2017 (via Syrian Network for Human Right)
  • Translation: 'Martyrs and wounded in Qal’et Al Madiq as a result of Russian air strikes'
  • Translation: 'Massacre committed by the Russian occupation aircraft as a result of targeting the market of the town of # Qal'at al-Madiq in the countryside of Hama'
  • Translation: 'Today's massacre committed by the Russians in Qlaat al madiq killed dozens of martyrs'
  • The aftermath of the aerial bombardment of Qalaat al Madiq in Sahl al Ghaab in the countryside
  • At 0’15” in this video posted by Bawabat hama a man says: "We were sitting here and the plane came and hit us. Eight people were killed and god knows how many wounded, I don’t know how many. I mean it’s a really hard situation.”

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The tweet reads: "The injured child was transferred from Qal’et Al Madiq to Ma'arat al - Nu'man Please post the picture to someone you may know The child is lonely."
  • A tweet showing names of victims: "Mirna Iyyas Al Jadou’ (girl) Khaled Iyyas Al Jadou’ (boy) Manar wife of Hussain Farija Khawla daughter of Hussain Farija Ayham Al Sous/ Al Hassan Mahmoud Mustafa Al Hallak"
  • Rescue attempts by the White Helmets following the strike.

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
    6 – 12
  • (2–5 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–40
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2480

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

الفطيرة كرسعة, al Fatira and Karsa'a, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6102782, 36.4810681 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes against the towns of al Fatira and Karsa’a in Idlib governorate.

RFS media office reported: “Russian and Regime air force planes also renewed their air raids on the towns and villages of Al-Fataira, Benin near ariha, Abdin and the southern suburb of Idlib, resulting in severe damage to property but no injuries.”

However, @homsy222 and Idlib Media Centre said that a number of civilians had been wounded.

According to Alyum TV, “Russian aircraft bombed the towns of Naquir, Harish Abdeen, Tall Menas, Marathat, Badama, Kafarsgana and Tirmala, and the outskirts of Karsa’a, Fataira and Khan Shaykhoun villages south of Idlib, killing of three civilians, including a girl and a woman” – but the source didn’t specify where the deaths were.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (10) [ 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
    Unknown
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2479

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

الصهرية, al Sahariya, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.482252, 36.429291 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians, including a woman and her daughter, were killed and at least two others, children, were wounded in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes against the village of al Sahariya in the northern Hama countryside, according to local sources.

Reporters Without Borders said that the airstrikes caused the destruction of a house and the victims of the airstrikes were a mother and daughter from the same family. Civil defense teams rushed in to help the victims following the airstrikes.

Conflicting reports were given as to who was responsible for carrying out the airstrikes. While the majority of sources, including Al Araby News and Radio Al Kul, blamed Russian planes for carrying out the airstrikes, Smart News identified the regime as responsible.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “a girl and her mother, IDPs from Rasm al Awabed village in Hama governorate eastern suburbs, killed in Syrian-Russian Alliance warplanes missiles fired on al Sehriya village in Hama governorate northwestern suburbs, September 20, 2017.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (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
    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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2473

Incident date

September 19, 2017

Location

الهبيط, Al-Habeet, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.4379459, 36.5379524 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A man died during alleged Russian or Syrian shelling on the town of Al-Habeet in rural Idlib, local sources reported.

Salah Ahmad Al-Jamili had come to the city from Helfaya, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salah Ahmad Al-Jamili
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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 (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
  • (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 (5) [ collapse]