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

RS2854

Incident date

January 6, 2018

Location

مديرا , Madyra, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.544613, 36.3861 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or two civilians died and several more were wounded in an alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrike on Madyra in Damascus, according to local media.

Syrian Reporter and Alghad-alsoury put the death toll at two.

According to Shaam, “Al-Assad and Russian planes targeted civilian houses deliberately and directly in the eastern towns and villages of Al-Ghouta early morning [Jan 6th]”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Hussein Rihan
Adult male VDC blamed "Syrian government and its affiliated militias" 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 (14) [ 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

  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS159

Incident date

November 17, 2015

Location

كفر حلب, Kafr Halab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

A seven-year-old boy was reported killed and five of his family members injured, following an alleged Russian airstrike at Kafr Halab or nearby. A second child may also have died.

Location reporting for this event remains confused. Chicken sheds were reported destroyed and civilian deaths alleged at Kafr Halab; near Kafr Daryan; and in the Regiment 46 area.

Providing some detail, media activist Abu Ayyub Al Safrani told the Syrian News Desk that “Russian warplanes targeted a chicken shed inhabited by displaced families from the countryside south of Aleppo, killing a seven-year-old boy and injuring five members of his family.” Some were taken to Turkey for treatment due to the seriousness of their injuries he said.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense - Khan Shikhun Center directed a young man from the rubble as a result of the bombing of Russian warplanes

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia reports carrying out cruise missile strikes in Aleppo governorate on November 17th 2015.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS3382

Incident date

April 1, 2018

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

Warplanes launched an attack on agricultural areas near the city of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, local sources reported.

Most reports cited the sole involvement of Russian forces, however, Idlib24 said both Russian and Syrian planes were in the area.

No specific casualty figures were given for Khan Sheikhoun, though according to the Smart News Agency, “Russian aircraft launched heavy air strikes causing the fall of martyrs and wounded in the cities and towns of Ariha and Khan Sheikoun and Urma Al Jouz and Al  Qanba and Kafr Lata and Hazarin and Hamdiyah and Ma’aret Horma in the southern countryside and the city of Jisr al-Shughour in the western countryside”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Footage of an alleged Russian or regime strike on Khan Sheikhoun, April 1st 2018.

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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

RS2897

Incident date

January 15, 2018

Location

معصران, Ma'saran, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.70683, 36.802053 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of “civilian causalities” were reported by local media, following what was believed to be an alleged Russian raid on a camp for Internally Displaced Peoples in Ma’saran. Sources all blamed Russian warplanes, however one source did blame the Syrian regime. They are an unreliable source as they are “pro-regime” according to Airwars researchers, making this a Fair event.

Images show damaged tents in the aftermath of the raids.

According to one source, as many as five Russian warplanes struck the vicinity.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that ” warplanes targeted places in the area of Hafsa Camp for displaced people, near Maasaran town in the eastern countryside of Maarrat Al-Nu’man, which resulted in material damage, and the injury of a number of citizens seriously”.

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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The exact moment airstrikes hit the vicinity of Ma'saran, 15th Jan 2018. (via Jaber Al Jaber)
  • The tents of IDPs which were hit in airstrikes on Ma'saran, 15th Jan 2018. (via @Wesal_TV)

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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS321

Incident date

December 26, 2015

Location

الحيدرية, Haidariya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2372814, 37.1923256 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians, a woman and child, were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on the northern roundabout area in Al Haidariya .

The Syrian Observatory reported a number of unspecified casualties, while Halab News named the same woman and child killed as VDC, attributing their deaths to “a Russian Air Force bombing attack on Alhaidariya neighborhood in Aleppo.”

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Layla al-Mohammad
Adult female killed
Fares
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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

For December 25th-28th, Russia has reported that “In the course of three days, since December 25, the Russian aviation group has performed 164 combat sorties engaging 556 terrorists’ objects located in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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

RS2994

Incident date

February 7, 2018

Location

سراقب, Saraqeb, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859101, 36.797731 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, two civilians were killed and several were wounded, as alleged Russian or other, unknown warplanes struck Saraqeb, Idlib.

All sources reported that aerial shelling has caused civilian harm, at least two killed and several wounded. For example, Edlib Media Center (EMC) reported: “two civilians were killed by the Russian occupation aircraft targeting the vicinity of the city of Sarqeb in the countryside of Idlib with rockets, this morning.”

 

 

The incident occured in the morning.

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 (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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS449

Incident date

January 22, 2016

Location

أم حوش, Umm Hawsh, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.41168, 37.21252 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, Thefreesyria.org, named two civilians killed when Russian warplanes allegedly bombed a road near the village of Umm elhosh in the Aleppo countryside.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights Tweeted an image of the child Sarah and said she died when warplanes launched several missiles near the village, though they did not identify the planes.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Bushra Khadr Hwail
Age unknown named by Thefreesyria.org, from Homs – Palmyra killed
Sarah Moatasem Barakat alMutlak
Child female named by Thefreesyria.org, from Homs – Palmyra killed

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Sarah Moatasem Barakat alMutlak, killed by an alleged Russian raid on Umm Hawsh. (via, SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 25th January, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last three days, January 22-24, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic performed 169 combat sorties engaging 484 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure…crews of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed 18 combat sorties from the territory of the Russian Federation in order to engage manpower and hardware of the ISIS near Deir ez-Zor on January 22-24. Flight range reached more than 2,000 kilometers.“

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS513

Incident date

January 31, 2016

Location

حي الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807701, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Radio Al Kul “Two [civilians] killed, including a child and several wounded with burning shops, as a result of Russian aviation targeting with rockets the shoe market in the neighborhood of # AL SALHEEN south of Aleppo.”

No additional details are presently known.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • 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

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory...Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]