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

RS2516

Incident date

September 25, 2017

Location

كفرحلب, Kafr Halab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.062057, 36.871512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two girls were injured in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Kafr Halab in southwestern Aleppo, according to a local source. SOHR however blamed both the Syrian regime and Russia.

Step News Agency was the only source to report on the incident and while they did not report a specific estimate of injuries, they indicated that it was more than one by using the plural. Step News Agency identified Russian planes as responsible for carrying out the airstrikes.

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
    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 airstrikes in Kafr Halab.
  • Two girls were injured in airstrikes.

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
    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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2522

Incident date

September 25, 2017

Location

بداما, Bdama, Jisr al Shoughour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.811903, 36.202275 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians, including a child, were killed and up to 11 more were wounded in alleged Russian or Syrian regime air and artillery strikes against the town of Bdama in the western village of Jisr al-Shoughour, according to local sources.

The initial estimate was that only one civilian, a child, had died but another civilian died the following day, September 26th, from his wounds sustained during the airstrike.

Conflicting reports were given as to who was responsible for carrying out the airstrikes against Bdama. The Syrian Network for Human Rights offered contradictory information, blaming Russian forces in one report while blaming regime forces in another report. However, the other source that reported on the incident, Idlib Media Centre, identified Russian planes as responsible for the airstrikes.

Orient News published an interview with the civil defence. Here is a rough transcript:

At 0’30” in the interview: I don’t know what to tell you. This is a civilian area, and it got hit at ten in the morning. Go and target military areas, we don’t mind.  One man died while he was fixing his tractor. He has six kids

At 1’15” in the interview with a doctor. “The regime is targeting the liberated coast and west of Jisr al Shoughour. All the injured and dead are civilians. There were about twenty of them including three martyrs of whom two were kids. Those injured were women, kids, old people, and a few young civilian men.”

“At 2’20” a reporter says: “Regime planes and helicopters are targeting al Badama alongside Russian planes and regime artillery.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ammar Ahmed Hamoudi
Child injured
Fadwa Hamoudi
Child female injured

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Nasser Hassoun
4 years old male killed
Sister of Hamza Sadiq
Age unknown female injured
Hamza Sadiq
20 years old male " a college student at faculty of Pharmacy from Jisr al Shoghour city" Other sources said he was a pharmacist killed
Fadwa Hamoudi
Age unknown female injured
Mohamed A'raj
Age unknown male injured
Juma Khalilu
Adult killed
Bashir Stouf
Adult injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–11
  • 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 (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Image of Mohammad Nasser Hassoun, a child killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes against the town of Bdama on September 25, 2017 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Image of Hamza Sadiq, a college student that died from wounds sustained during alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes against the town of Bdama on September 25, 2017 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of Mohammad Nasser Hassoun, a child killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes against the town of Bdama on September 25, 2017 (via Marsad Sarmada)
  • The exact moment the airstrike hit Bdama, 25th Sept 2017. (via Qasioun News Agency)

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 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–11
  • 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 (24) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2523

Incident date

September 25, 2017

Location

محمبل, Muhambal, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.784376, 36.468902 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian, a girl, was killed and at least five others were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Muhambal in Idlib governorate, according to local sources.

The “intensive air-raids” consisted of rockets.

Some sources did not mention civilian casualties but did confirm bombing in the vicinity.

One of the comments under the video shared by Baladi News, by someone called Mohammad al Sheikh says, “During these terrifying moments, I was with my wife and my son Khalil close to the site of targeting. After a year I say: “may god preserve the town of Muhambal safe, I am from Damascus but was treated brilliantly by the locals. We felt like we were among our people.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salam al Shaghri
Child female From Mar'ayan village killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of Salam al Shaghri, a girl killed in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Muhambal on September 25, 2017 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • The moment airstrikes hit Muhambal, 25th sept 2017. (via Baladi News)

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
    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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2517

Incident date

September 25, 2017

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.440813, 36.6493607 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and several others were injured in alleged Russian airstrikes against the city of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib. Step News Agency was the only source to report on the incident and they identified Russian forces as responsible for the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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

RS2535

Incident date

September 26, 2017

Location

أورم الكبرى , Orme al Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.147179, 36.9367003 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A man was killed and three children were injured by an airstrike, likely to be Russian, near the village of Urum Al Kubra in the southern Aleppo countryside, local media reported.

Smart News Agency reported that the man and children were from the same family.

It should be noted that this report may refer to incident RS2534 in Reef Al-Muhandseen in which multiple sources reported a family of three civilians killed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2528a

Incident date

September 26, 2017

Location

ترمانين, Termanin, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.229519, 36.816833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians were wounded in two raids on Termanin, according to local media. Sources all blamed Russian warplanes.

One source reported that “The raid wasn’t on the headquarters of the Corps  [ie failaq al sham] but on the homes of displaced civilians”.

In addition, Enabaladi reported that “a long-range missile believed to have been fired from the Russian battleships in the Mediterranean fell on the outskirts of the town of Tarmanin in the northern suburb of Idlib and repeated bombing on the same area but by the Russian warplanes, causing civilian wounded.”

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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

RS2536

Incident date

September 26, 2017

Location

مشمشان كنيسة نخلة , Kanissa Nakhla and Mashmashan, Jisr al Shoughour countryside, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859696, 36.367021 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman died and up to six civilians were injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Mashmashan in rural Idlib, according to sources on the ground.

Idlib Media centre pointed to Russia, though the Smart News Agency – who said that six civilians were wounded in the attack – didn’t identify the culprit.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ratebah Dieb
Adult female She is described as Othman Dieb’s wife. killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1533 RS2543

Incident date

September 26, 2017

Location

البلعوم, Al Mayadin, Al Baloum neighbourhood, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.016667, 40.444167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians, including one woman and one child, were reported killed following airstrikes on Al Mayadin, Deir Ezzor governorate. The Coalition and Russian warplanes were blamed by local media.

According to Al Natek, Russian raids targeted the city resulting in four civilians deaths. Smart also believed the attack was carried out by Russian warplanes, asserting that four died including one woman and one child.

However Step accused the Coalition, alleging that “More than five raids by the international coalition targeted Ina’ash al Reef and the water crossing and near al Rahba castle in the city of al Mayadin”.

Nasser Khalifa Al A’yada, his wife Houria Al Jaber and his nephew Ahmad Abd al-Khalifa Al A’yada were listed as killed by the Euphrates Post. However there was some confusion, as in a subsequent Euphrates Post report no civilians casualties were mentioned. In a third Euphrates Post report, it referred to “military aircraft believed to be members of the International Alliance” as culprits. According to the source “the house of Mr. Ahmad Al Hamad Al-Aboud and Al-Zubari and Al Toub and Sa’alo on the main Deir Ezzor – al Mayadeen road” were targeted.

The shelling reportedly focused on the house of Mr. Khalif Al A`yada an the houses adjacent to it.

In addition to the charred bodies and the fall of many wounded in the neighbourhood, a petrol shop was also bombed in front of Nasser al-Khalif’s home, and a fire broke out as a result of the burning of many cars.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, however, said that “Syrian regime forces killed several civilians from one family on September 26th in Al Mayadin”.

The incident occured at 01:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Nasser Khalifa Al A’yada
Adult male Husband killed
Houria Al Jaber
Adult female Wife killed
Ahmad Abd al-Khalifa Al A’yada
Age unknown male Nephew killed

The victims were named as:

Laith Allawi al-Jabr
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1 child1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Ahmed Jamal Jamal al-Ja'ayleh
  • Image supposedly showing the impact of the strikes
  • News bulletin in the aftermath. (via Jisr satellite Channel)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a burned body in the aftermath. (via Almayadin today)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Baloum (البلعوم) neighbourhood/roundabout in the city of Al Mayadin (المیادین). Sources also mention multiple additional strikes in different areas of the city: Ina’ash Al Reef, the water crossing, Al Rahba castle and a possible second airstrike on Al Baloum that didn’t result in any civilian casualties. The coordinates for the Al Baloum (البلعوم) roundabout are: 35.030682, 40.429162.

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 Mayadin, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 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 September 25th – 26th the Coalition reported “Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed an ISIS headquarters and an ISIS staging area.” It additionally reported that “On Sept. 25, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle, a fighting position, a heavy machine gun, and an IED.”

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 – 5
  • (1 child1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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, Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]