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

RS2320

Incident date

July 4, 2017

Location

كنامات, Kinnamat, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.332278, 40.156246 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that a number of civilians were wounded by alleged Russian airstrikes in Kinnamat neighbourhood, Deir Ezzor.

Besides from the wounded, the incident also inflicted great destruction, Sharqiya Voice reported.

DeirEzzor24 reported the use of rocket-propelled grenades while Sharqiya Voice reported that “bunker-busting missiles” had been used.

All sources attributed blame to Russia.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2319

Incident date

July 4, 2017

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

One woman and a child were killed and up to five were left wounded, local media reported, in alleged Russian or Assad-waged airstrikes in Douma, Damascus.

Without identifying a culprit, Enab Baladi reported that four air raids had struck residential areas in Douma, leading to the death one one adult woman and one male child, both identified by name.

Smart News Agency cited the Civil Defense who said that “a child and a woman were killed and other wounded, following raids targeting the city”, adding that activists said that the warplanes were likely to belong to the Syrian regime.

Like the Civil Defence, several sources attributed blame to the Syrian regime. However,  once source, @ahmadalgotany, pointed to Russia as the culprit and the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the warplanes belonged to the “Syrian-Russian alliance”. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Najwa al-Ajweh
Adult female killed
Mohammad Dalwan
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images from Douma on July 4th, 2017, during and after the city was hit by airstrikes, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via @ahmadalgotany)
  • Footage from the immediate aftermath of the contested airstrikes in Douma on July 4th, 2017 (via @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes in Douma on July 4th, 2017(via @SyrianCoalition)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The child Mohammed Delwan was reportedly killed by the contested airstrikes in Douma on July 4th, 2017 (via SCDrifdimashq)
  • Footage from the immediate, chaotic aftermath of the contested airstrikes in Douma on July 4th, 2017 (via Syrian Civil Defense Center)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 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
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2318

Incident date

July 3, 2017

Location

الطابية جزيرة, Tabiya Jazera, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.279167, 40.311111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and another five were wounded as alleged Russian warplanes carried out an air raid on an oil refinery in the village of Tabiya Al-Jazyra, Deir Ezzor, local media reported.

All sources reported that the two victims were working at the oil refinery and that the strike was carried out by Russia. For instance, Smart News Agency cited an activist on the ground who said that the “warplanes were likely to be Russian”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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

RS2317

Incident date

July 3, 2017

Location

السخنة, al-Sukhna, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8848748, 38.8711739 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, Step News Agency reported: “a number of air raids targeted the vicinity of the city of Sukhna and some of its neighbouring villages in the eastern Homs countryside, resulting in civilian injuries”, without identifying the responsible.

This event is very likely related to the airstrikes in al-Dahek, al-Sukhna, on the previous day, July 2nd, reported in incident RS2316.

As of now, no further details are available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2316

Incident date

July 2, 2017

Location

الضاحك, al-Dahek, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.590259, 39.295349 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians from the same family, including children and women, were killed and several were wounded as airstrikes, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime, struck the village of al-Dahek, on the countryside of al-Sukhna, Homs, local media reported.

The Violations Documentations Center identified four victims; one child, two women and one adult man. Meanwhile, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported that among the four victims were two children and one woman. Revo.palmyra3 mentioned that the female victim Haqla Shehab al-Barmil was a “young woman” which possibly explains the unclarity regarding her age.

Sources did not specify the number of wounded, but merely reported about “several”.

While most sources attributed blame to Russia, SN4HR reported that the “the Russia-Syrian alliance” was to blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Hameed al-Ahmad al-Barmil
Adult male killed
Son of Hameed al-Barmil
Child male killed
Haqla Shehab al-Barmil
Adult female killed
Reem Ali al-Barmil
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1–2 children1–2 women1 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 (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 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
    4
  • (1–2 children1–2 women1 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2315

Incident date

July 2, 2017

Location

مخيم الحقاف, Hakaf Camp, Sweida, Syria

Geolocation

33.002185, 36.710386 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this incident, described as a “massacre”, between ten and 20 civilians, including children and women, were killed and several were wounded as Russian or Assad-waged warplanes carried out several airstrikes on Hekaf Camp, Sweida, local media reported.

Several airstrikes reportedly hit on the afternoon of July 2nd Haqaf camp in Sweida, which is home to displaced Syrians. al-Araby reported that Russian-waged warplanes had dropped cluster bombs. 

Sources reported between ten and 20 civilian casualties. The highest death toll was given by Zaman al-Wasl, who cited Saad al-Haj, head of the Information Office, who said that between 16 and 20 civilians had been killed.

But most sources reported about 16 fatalities, including three to four children and three to six women. The Violation Documentation Centre (VDC) identified 16 victims by name, three male children, six women and seven men.

Among the victims was the al-Shu’ail family, who, according to Smart News, was from the al Hadia clan.

Most sources pointed to Russia as the culprit, while a smaller portion blamed the Syrian regime. The Syrian Network for Human Rights and Enab Baladi attributed blame to both.

The incident occured during the day.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Bkhaitan al-Shaail
Adult male killed
Daughter of Bkhaitan al-Shaail
Adult female killed
Daughter of Bkhaitan al-Shaail
Adult female killed
Daughter of Bkhaitan al-Shaail
Adult female killed
Son of Bkhaitan al-Shaail
Adult male killed
Son of Bkhaitan al-Shaail
Adult male killed

Family members (9)

Abdulla al-Shaail
Adult male killed
Son of Abdulla al-Shaail
Child male killed
Son of Abdulla al-Shaail
Child male killed
Isa al-Shaail
Adult male killed
Son of Isa al-Shaail
Adult male killed
Son of Isa al-Shaail
Adult male killed
Son of Jameel al-Shaail
Child male killed
Daughter of Jameel al-Shaail
Adult female killed
Daughter of Jameel al-Shaail
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Sbaiteh al-Sayah
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 20
  • (3 children6 women7 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Some of the victims following the the contested airstrikes in Hekaf, Sweida, July 2nd, 2017 (via SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 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
    10 – 20
  • (3 children6 women7 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2314A

Incident date

July 2, 2017

Location

حطلة , Hatla, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.34169, 40.19897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians were killed and as many as 11 were wounded following alleged Russian airstrikes in Hatla, Deir Ezzor, local media reported.

Deir Ezzor24 reported that the “warplanes launched several raids” leading to “many” civilian casualties, while most sources reported between two and three fatalities. Two male victims are identified by name. 

However, on July 5th, Euphrates Post reported that Asaad Awad Al-Nasr, the wife of the son of Awwad Al-Nasr, died from the wounds she sustained by the airstrikes on July 2nd. Her death raises the initial death toll to four. 

At least two and as many as 11 civilians were wounded. Euphrates Post also identified one child who was among the wounded.

The airstrikes struck next to the al-Halabiya roundabout in Hatla, several media mentioned. Free Deir Ezzor added that the three victims had died a so-called al-Ahmadi resturant near the train station.

It is unclear when the incident took place. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that it occurred during the night while Euphrates Post reported it took place around noon.

Among the sources who identified a culprit, all pointed to Russia. The remaining did not attribute blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mukhles Al-Azzawi
Age unknown male killed
Abdulqader Osman
Age unknown male killed
Asaad Awad Al-Nasr
Age unknown female killed
Hazem Mekdad Al-Nasr
Child male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–11
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

  • Destruction caused by the alleged Russian airstrikes in Hatla, Deir Ezzor, July 2nd, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)
  • Destruction caused by the alleged Russian airstrikes in Hatla, Deir Ezzor, July 2nd, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)
  • Destruction caused by the alleged Russian airstrikes in Hatla, Deir Ezzor, July 2nd, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The child Hazem Mekdad Al-Nasr was reportedly among the wounded following the contested airstrike in Hatla, Deir Ezzor, July 2nd, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–11
  • 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

RS2314

Incident date

July 2, 2017

Location

رسم العوابد, Rasim Al-Awabid, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.002409, 37.46019 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Russian airstrike killed up to four civilians, including two children and wounded several as the village of Rasim Al-Awad in Hama was struck from the air, local media reported.

Most sources reported the death of two male children. @AlkhaleejOnline’s correspondent reported that “two children were killed and a number of wounded in an air raid on the village of Rasim Al-Awad”. The two children were identified by name by several sources.

Only one source, M-Syria-d News, reported that the airstrike had killed four civilians, including two children.

All of the known sources identified Russia as the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ghaith Ziad Mouhammad al-Obeid
Child male killed
Ahmad Jomaa al-Shayesh
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]