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

RS2238

Incident date

May 15, 2017

Location

سوحا, Soha , Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.000015, 37.401581 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two brothers were killed and others civilians were wounded – according to one source – following an airstrike on Soha. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Some reported that Russia was to blame, and others attributed blame to the Syrian regime. The Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed to the “Russian-Syrian alliance”.

According to Syrian Press Centre, “warplanes targeted the area of ​​Akerbat and the villages of Suha and Hammadi Omar in the eastern Hama countryside on Monday afternoon with six air strikes with space rockets”. They did not specify a belligerent.

Only one source reported that some civilians were wounded in the raid.

Hasan Khalif said that Azzam al-Abo Ezo was 19-years-old, while the Violations Documentation Centre listed him as “a child”.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Azzam al-Abo Ezo
Adult male brothers killed
Bostan al-Abo Ezo
Child male brothers killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1–2 children0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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]

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 May 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
  • (1–2 children0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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

RS2239

Incident date

May 15, 2017

Location

رسم الطويل, Rasim Al-taweel, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.806389, 37.433889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecific number of civilians were killed and wounded in an aerial bombardment on Rasim Al-taweel, according to local sources. All sourced either blamed Russia for the strikes, or did not attribute blame.

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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ 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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2240

Incident date

May 15, 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

An entire family of displaced peoples from Palmyra were killed – and an unspecific number of civilians were wounded – following an airstrike on Akeirbat, local media reported. All sources blamed Russian warplanes for the raids. 

Initially reporting suggested than an unspecific amount of civilians had been killed, however, on May 22nd three sources put forward the names of eight civilians from one family, including four women, three men and a child, who were all killed in the raid. Researchers art Airwars contacted all three sources, and they confirmed the strike was indeed on May 15th 2017.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (8)

Mohammad al Khalaf
Adult male nurse, displaced from Palmyra killed
wife of Mohammed Khalaf
Adult female displaced from Palmyra killed
mother of Mohammed Khalaf
Adult female displaced from Palmyra killed
Ahmed Mohammed Al Khalaf
Adult male displaced from Palmyra killed
wife of Ahmed Mohammed Al Khalaf
Adult female displaced from Palmyra killed
Mahmoud Mohammed Al - Khalaf
Adult male displaced from Palmyra killed
Fatima Mohammed Al Khalaf
Adult female displaced from Palmyra killed
son of Ahmed Khalaf
Child male displaced from Palmyra killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child4 women3 men)
  • 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 (6) [ 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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child4 women3 men)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2237

Incident date

May 14, 2017

Location

سوحا, Soha, al Silmiya district, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.000015, 37.401581 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A man and his three year old child were killed and others were wounded  following an airstrike on Soha. Both sources blamed Russia for the airstrike.

According to the Smart News Agency, the vicinity was under the control of ISIS.

Additionally, those injured were in a serious condition and were transferred to hospitals.

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
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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

RS2234

Incident date

May 13, 2017

Location

الحويقة, Haweiqa, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.342102, 40.14576 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and three civilians were killed and seven others were wounded in an airstrike on Haweiqa. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, with allegations against both the Syrian regime and Russia.

RFS Media Office reported that “two children were killed and two others were wounded when Russian warplanes targeted Al Hawaiqa neighborhood of Deir al-Zour in several raids at dawn today”.

Despite this, Mohamad Fayq Al Khalifa reported that a man was killed. He was named and an image of him was published.

Other reports suggest their house was struck. There are reports that many civilian homes were bombed and destroyed in the raids.

Smart news put the number of injured civilians as high as seven.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yusuf Tha’er al-Tahtouh
Child male killed
Mahmoud Jamil Khalifa al-Askar Abu Musab (Abu Lahoud)
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Yusuf Tha’er al-Tahtouh, killed in an airstrike on Haweiqa, 13th May 2017. (via @DeirEzzor24)
  • Mahmoud Jamil Khalifa al-Askar Abu Musab (Abu Lahoud), killed in an airstrike on Haweiqa, 13th May 2017. (via Mohamad Fayq Al Khalifa)

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 May 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 – 3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2235

Incident date

May 13, 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

An unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded in up to six alleged Russian airstrikes on Hatla, according to sources on the grounds. Sources mostly all blamed Russia, except a handful who didn’t identify the culprit.

Women and children were reportedly killed and wounded in the raids.

However, according to the Smart News Agency, there were no deaths, only wounded civilians.

Euphrates reported that Russian cluster bombs caused “destruction of civilian homes and a number of wounded, including children and women.”

Other sources specified there were six raids in total on the vicinity.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 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 (8) [ 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 May 1st – 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2229

Incident date

May 11, 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

Three or four civilians were killed – three from one family – and others were wounded, when an airstrike hit a residential neighbourhood, farm and water-tank in Akeirbat, local media reported. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Some sources such as Baladi news, blamed Russian warplanes for the airstrikes, while the Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed to the “Syrian-Russian alliance”. Many other sources didn’t identify the “military aircraft” responsible.

Baladi News and other sources reported that a man, his wife and child were killed in the airstrike on the vicinity. Allegedly, the warplanes struck the residential neighbourhood including a farm and later moved on to target the water tank in the neighbourhood, which led to complete destruction of the structure, with no casualties.

There were no reports with specific numbers of injured civilians, however the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that those who were injured were in a serious condition.

Other sources such as Syrian-mirror put the death toll at four. They also reported there was “material damage to public and private property”. 

SOHR noted that the vicinity was under the control of ISIS.

Rfsmediaoffice specified that Russian RPG was used in the raid. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman1 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 (12) [ 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 May 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
    3 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman1 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2231

Incident date

May 11, 2017

Location

التح, Al-Tah, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.539525, 36.725383 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three children were injured when the remnants of a cluster bomb exploded in Al-Tah, local media said.

Sources reported that the cluster bomb was left from a previous Russian airstrike.

There are no more details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Alaa Abdul Rahman Al Ali
Child from village of Atshan injured
Basma Abdul Rahman Al Ali
Child from village of Atshan injured
Khadija Abdul Rahman Al Ali
Child from village of Atshan injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the treatment of three injured children from a left over cluster bomb which exploded on 11th Pay 2017, Al Tah. (via Majed Al Yusuf)

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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]