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

RS1847

Incident date

January 18, 2017

Location

إدلب., Idlib city, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.9266201, 36.6180588 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were injured – and several others possibly killed – in an alleged Russian airstrike on a bus garage in Idlib, according to sources on the ground.

@nabdsyria1 reported that “Russian raids targeted the Bulman Garage and the Central Bank in Idlib”.

According to Idlib Media Centre, “three [civilians] were wounded when Russian occupation planes targeted the coach station in Idlib”.

Aljazeera also reported civilian harm: “Activists said that several were wounded and killed by raids targeting the garages area in the city of Idlib.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a bus garage in Idlib, Jan 18th (via Zaitonmag)
  • Translation: 'photos of the destruction left by Russian occupation planes on the coach station inside the city of Idlib following a raid on Wednesday, Jan 18th' (via Idlib Media Centre)
  • Translation: 'photos of the destruction left by Russian occupation planes on the coach station inside the city of Idlib following a raid on Wednesday, Jan 18th' (via Idlib Media Centre)
  • Translation: 'photos of the destruction left by Russian occupation planes on the coach station inside the city of Idlib following a raid on Wednesday, Jan 18th' (via Idlib Media Centre)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2034

Incident date

March 27, 2017

Location

درعا, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.900000, 36.200000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians were killed and others were wounded in airstrikes against the city of Dara’a, local media reported.

Local sources gave conflicting reports of who was responsible for the airstrikes. The majority of sources, including Syria News Desk and Smart News, attributed the airstrikes to Russian planes. However, @AbazidMohamad identified regime forces as being responsible for the airstrikes that killed Alaa Abazid, a C\civil defense volunteer.

Syrian Mirror reported that regime and Russian planes were carrying out airstrikes against the neighborhoods of Dara’a but did not identify which specifically was responsible for the casualties.

According to Syrian Mirror, rocket-propelled grenades, cluster bombs, and explosive barrels struck the neighborhoods and farms of Dara’a. The Syrian Media Organization listed that at least six air raids, 14 barrels of explosives, and 17 rockets (ground launched) were carried out. The airstrikes destroyed multiple homes of civil defense teams searched through the destroyed homes to rescue victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Alaa Abazid
Adult male Civil defense volunteer killed

Summary

  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Photo of the explosion and smoke caused by airstrikes against Dara'a - March 27, 2017 (via Nabaa News)
  • Photo of the explosion and smoke caused by airstrikes against Dara'a - March 27, 2017 (via Nabaa News)
  • Photo of the explosion and smoke caused by airstrikes against Dara'a - March 27, 2017 (via Nabaa News)
  • Photo of the explosion and smoke caused by airstrikes against Dara'a - March 27, 2017 (via Nabaa News)
  • Photos of the explosion and smoke caused by airstrikes against Dara'a - March 27, 2017 (via Nabaa News)

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
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2151

Incident date

April 21, 2017

Location

الطبايق, Al-Tabayek, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.819623, 36.495209 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children were killed and one other civilian was wounded – Smart reported a woman was wounded – following an airstrike on Al-Tabayek. All sources blamed Russian warplanes for the raid. 

Syrian Mirror reported  “targeting of residential areas and vital centres”, resulting extensive destruction to property.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “two children were killed when suspected Russian warplanes missiles fired on al Tabayeq village”. 

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
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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
Official source

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

RS2508

Incident date

September 24–25, 2017

Location

قرية معرشورين, Ma'ar Shoreen, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6675976, 36.7290564 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians, including a woman, were killed and four others, including three children, were injured in two alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Ma’ar Shoreen in northern Syria, as reported by local sources.

According to Smart News, all of those affected by the airstrikes were from the same family and included a woman who was killed immediately by the airstrikes, her husband who later died of his injuries, and their three children that sustained injuries ranging from light to medium in seriousness.

One local source tweeted that there were as many as five injured civilians from one family. A bride and groom were included in the injured.

In an interview with local woman around 0’20” in the Qasioun footage, ‘the planes were flying all night over us. My son and I were asleep. We were fast asleep when the missile hit us.  God protected us and we were rescued. Some people were killed, others lost their homes and kids were crying. We were all crying, we were in a real state. This is no way to live.. God protected us.. What have we done to deserve this? Are our kids terrorists? Let them fight elsewhere. We are simple people we’re citizens.

The airstrikes reportedly struck an apartment building and a factory, which resulted in rendering the factory unable to continue manufacturing. Yusif al-Jarrak, one of the plant’s shareholders, told Smart News Agency that the damage to the the machines and warehouses resulted in a loss of between $50,000-60,000.

Smart News Agency gave conflicting reports as to when the airstrikes took place, reporting in one article that it was among airstrikes that occurred Sunday night (September 24th) while reporting in another article that it was carried out early in the day Monday (September 25th), which is when Syrian Network for Human Rights reported the airstrike occured. However, in both articles published by Smart News Agency and the report by Syrian Network for Human Rights, all identified Russian planes as responsible for perpetrating the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ghadal al Omar
Age unknown killed
Ahmad Abd al Wahab al Omar
Age unknown cause of death is russian strikes but place of death listed as turkey [so maybe died as a result of injuries? killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes. (via Qasioun)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes. (via Step)

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
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS014

Incident date

October 3, 2015

Location

عقرب, Akrab, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.16310, 36.46512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Network reported that Russian warplanes attacked Akrab, a town under the control of the Free Syrian Army, in a joint attack with the Assad regime. All4Syria also reported that “regime forces tried to storm the town, in southern Hama, after several raids by Russian aviation, resulting in several casualties among civilians.“

Two rockets, which SN4HR said contained cluster bombs (pictured below), reportedly killed two civilians including a child: “Four cluster bombs were left un-exploded and the FSA dismantled them by shooting from a very long range. The Russian aerial strikes were accompanied with shelling from rocket launchers by the Syrian regime.”

The incident occured at 13:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Cluster munitions reportedly retrieved from Akrab, October 3rd 2015 (via SN4HR)
  • The Civil Defence transporting the injured. (via SN4HR)
  • Rescue workers at Akrab. (via SN4HR)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the sheep market in the village of Akrab (عقرب), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.163100, 36.46512. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

The Russians made no direct reference to strikes in Hama for October 3rd-5th 2015, noting only that “Su-34, Su-24M and Su-25 pilots performed 20 flights over the last day. They hit 10 ISIS facilities.”

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 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS207

Incident date

November 28, 2015

Location

الأتارب, Al Atarib, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.136728, 36.829274 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed including one child in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Atarib. There were two events several hours apart. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights and others, one attack struck a school which suffered major damage and was no longer in use.

Two victims were named SNHR.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hammoud Moustafa Katfa
Child male Named by SNHR killed
Abdul Kader Jibra’el
Adult male Named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • 'Destruction of Russian airstrikes on #Atarib city last night' (via Civil Defence Aleppo)
  • A news bulletin showing the aftermath of the incident where a school was targeted. (via, Halab News Network)
  • Hammoud Moustafa Katfa, killed in an alleged Russian airstrike. (via @aabdallah111987)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia reported that “In the course of the last week, November 26 – December 4, the Russian aircraft have performed 431 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase making pinpoint strikes on 1458 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2923

Incident date

January 20, 2018

Location

الخوص, Al-Khous, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.836255, 36.901531 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded in airstrikes on Al-Khous, according to local media. Both sources reported that Russia was to blame for the strikes.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS3766

Incident date

June 5, 2019

Location

مورك, Mourek, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

A woman was reported killed in Mourek and others injured, when Russian and Syrian regime forces allegedly fired rockets and heavy artillery shells.

The victim was named by local sources as Sa’adiya Qattash. They also said that the shelling originated from Al Kabariya camp.

No other details are known at this time.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Saeeda Qattash سعديه قطاش
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (15) [ 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]