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

RS2309

Incident date

June 28, 2017

Location

السخنة, Al-Sokhna , Homs, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

An unspecific number of civilians were killed and wounded in an airstrike on Al-Sokhna – according to local media. Only one source blamed Russia, and the others blamed unidentified warplanes for the raids.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “the warplanes bombarded areas in the northern outskirts of the city of Sokhna in the eastern Homs countryside with news of martyrs and wounded.”

Smart News Agency reported “civilians [were] killed by airstrikes likely to be Russian, north of the city of Sokhna east of Homs.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
    Russian Military, Unknown

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2307

Incident date

June 27, 2017

Location

السخنة, Al-Sokhna , Homs, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

An unspecific number of civilian casualties were reported in airstrikes on Al-Sokhna,  according to local media. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame.

Syrian News reported that “Russian aircraft launched air raids Tuesday [Tuesday 27th]  on the city of Al-Sokhna and the outskirts of Homs in eastern Homs”. But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights attributed blame to the Syrian regime. 

Step News Agency was the only media to report on civilian casualties. 

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2306

Incident date

June 25, 2017

Location

ابو قاطور, Abu Qator, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.724722, 37.364722 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that “activists pointed out that the raids targeted a prison near the village of Abu Qatour, belonging to the area of Jab Jarrah (about 55 km east of Homs), killing six members of the organisation and wounding four prisoners [civilians] who were transferred to hospitals in Deir Ezzor province.”

The source blamed Russia for the raid.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2305

Incident date

June 24, 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

There were reports of unspecific numbers of civilian casualties in Akeirbat following airstrikes on the vicinity.

@MasarPressNet attributed blame to “warplanes” who “launched several raids on Akeirabat”.

However, the Step News Agency reported that “Russian warplanes launched several raids targeting the area of Akeirbat and its environs in the eastern suburb of Hama [with] reports of civilian casualties.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

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 strikes between June 1st – 31st 2017.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1055 RS2300

Incident date

June 22, 2017

Location

طيبة, Al Taybeh, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

35.08895, 38.91597 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One male baby was named as a victim of an airstrike on Raqqa by some local sources. However, this appears to have been a reporting error – with the child in fact likely to have been killed in a Russian, regime or Coalition airstrike on al Taybeh, east of Palmyra.

MC Palmyra added that members of the baby’s family were also seriously injured in the strike when their home was hit

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Deeb Adam al-Nuaimi
Child male killed

Summary

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

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The baby Deeb Adam al-Nuaimi was reportedly killed in al Tayba village in Homs by Coalition, Russian or Syrian regime strikes (via SN4HR)
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition 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
  • Stated location
    near Al Taybeh, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 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.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For June 21st-22nd, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 14 strikes engaged 14 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 16 fighting positions, three vehicles and an ammunition cache.” No strikes were publicly reported near Palmyra.

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

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

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2296

Incident date

June 21, 2017

Location

الجنينة, Al-Ginena, Al Hussan and Al Baghiliya villages, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3680555, 40.1196671 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Smart News Agency, reported that an unspecified number of civilians were wounded by alleged Russian warplanes on an airstrike in Al-Ginena, Al Hussan and Al Baghiliya villages.

The source reported that “the aircraft bombed civilian houses in the villages of Al-Geneina, Hussan and Baghiliya (6 km west of Deir Al-Zour city), injuring a number of civilians, including children, without specifying their exact numbers.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2299

Incident date

June 21, 2017

Location

الشيخ ياسين, Sheikh Yassin, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.33367, 40.148313 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as 10 civilians were killed, and 10 more were wounded, following in alleged Russian airstrikes on Sheikh Yassin. Sources all blamed Russian aircraft for the raids.

According to sources, the vicinity was struck shortly before 2.30am, at “break-fast” during Ramadan. A residential neighbourhood was partially destroyed in the attack with RPG shelling, and four cluster bombs, according to local media.

Free Deir Ezzor described the “sounds of violent explosions shaking the region at 2:30 am on Wednesday []June 21st]”.

Rfsmediaoffice reported that many civilians were rushed to hospital with wounds – however they did not specify the severity of the injured. 

Sheikh Yassin was reportedly under the control of the regime forces at this period in time. 

The incident occured at 02:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 10
  • (3–4 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ 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 specific strikes between June 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 10
  • (3–4 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2298

Incident date

June 21, 2017

Location

داعل, Dael, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.756529, 36.138453 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two adult males were killed, and as many as 30 civilians were wounded, following air and artillery shelling on Dael, local media reported. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, some blaming Russia, others blaming the regime. The Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed to the “Syrian-Russian alliance”.

Images show wounded civilians being treated in a medical facility in the aftermath of the incident. Additionally, footage released by Shab Da’eli lens, shows the exact moment – just before midnight – that the strikes hit the vicinity. 

The Smart News Agency reported that “13 children and eight women” were included in the numbers of wounded civilians. 

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Yazan Khalifa Shahadat
Adult male killed
Ahmad Jameel al-Mohsen al-Asemi
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–30
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Yazan Khalifa Shahadat, killed in an airstrike on Dael, 21st June 2017. (via VDC)
  • Ahmad Jameel al-Mohsen al-Asemi, killed in an airstrike on Dael, 21st June 2017. (via VDC)
  • Wounded civilians being treated in a medical facility in the aftermath of the airstrike on Dael, 21st June 2017. (via AmjadAssaf)
  • Wounded girl being treated in a medical facility in the aftermath of the airstrike on Dael, 21st June 2017. (via AmjadAssaf)
  • Wounded girl being treated in a medical facility in the aftermath of the airstrike on Dael, 21st June 2017. (via AmjadAssaf)
  • Wounded girl being treated in a medical facility in the aftermath of the airstrike on Dael, 21st June 2017. (via AmjadAssaf)
  • The exact moment an airstrike hit Dael, 21st June 2017. (via Shab Da’eli lens)

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 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
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–30
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]