Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

R2452c

Incident date

October 6, 2017

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

In what has been described as a “massacre”, as many as 20 civilians were killed – including women and children – and dozens more were wounded – following airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun. Local media reported that Russian warplanes were to blame, though some sources including the Violations Documentation Centre blamed the Syrian regime.

Initial reporting by the @SyrianCoalition tweeted that five civilians were killed including three women. Additionally, they did not attribute blame to any belligerent for the strikes. 

The highest death toll was @ZakariaNassani who alleged that 20 civilians had been killed. They also tweeted a graphic video showing civilian casualties.

Aletihadpress reported that “At least seven people, four of them children, were killed after Russian raids on the city of Khan Sheikhoun”. They added that Civil Defence workers were attempting to search for missing victims under the rubble of two residential buildings which collapsed.

@SyriaCivilDefe alleged that “residential areas were targeted”. Enabbaladi reported that “Russian warplanes targeted the market of the city of Khan Sheikhoun with space rockets”.

Alsouria, who blamed both the Syrian regime and Russia, alleged that there were three strikes. 

One source alleged multiple strikes: “The first attack targeted a number of houses and shops of the city, destroying it completely. The second raid targeted the center of the popular market for the city, which led to a number of casualties and martyrs as a result of air strikes”.

Many graphic images were published showing dead children.

The incident occured at 11:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Adult female killed
Adult male killed
Child male (from Al Latamina) killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 20
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of an airstike on on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @ZakariaNassani)
  • Syrian Civil defence rescuing civilians from the rubble in the aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @SyrianCoalition)
  • Syrian Civil defence rescuing civilians from the rubble in the aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @SyrianCoalition)
  • Syrian Civil defence rescuing civilians from the rubble in the aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @SyrianCoalition)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil defence rescuing civilians from the rubble in the aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @Wesal_TV)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child casualty in the aftermath of an aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @MOAZALSHAMY)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child casualty in the aftermath of an aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @MustafaSejari)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child casualty in the aftermath of an aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @MustafaSejari)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child casualty in the aftermath of an aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @MustafaSejari)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child casualty in the aftermath of an aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via @MustafaSejari)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A casualty in the aftermath of an aftermath of a airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via Sharek.team.Syria)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mohammad Ziad Saloum al-Abd, killed in an airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via VDC)
  • The exact moment an airstrike struck Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via Sharek.team.Syria)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via Sharek.team.Syria)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child casualty in the aftermath of an airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via Sharek.team.Syria)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ahmad Aref al-Nasif, killed in an airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, 6th October 2017. (via VDC)

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
    5 – 20
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2611

Incident date

October 7, 2017

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.44208, 36.65095 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least five and as many as 13 civilians, including children and women, were killed and between six and eight were left wounded following alleged Assad or Russian-waged airstrikes on residential areas in Khan Sheikhoun, Deir Ezzor, local sources reported.

Most sources reported the death of five civilians. However, a total of seven victims were identified by different sources, including one child, three women and three men.

Arab48 reported the highest number of fatalities as the media cited the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdul Rahman who said that  “the strikes likely to have been launched by the regime resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians, including four children.”

Smart News cited Anas al-Diab, a member of the Civil Defense Center in the city, who said that “the planes targeted three residential areas in the city on Friday night, killing two men, two women and a child, and wounding three children, two women and one man”.

Like Smart News, most sources reported that six civilians were left wounded. However, a total of eight, mostly children, were identified as being wounded by Mustafahajali85. 

While most sources identified the Syrian regime as the culprit, Smart News Agency attributed blame to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Adult male killed
Age unknown male injured

Family members (2)

Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Child female killed
Adult male killed
Age unknown female injured
Age unknown male injured
Age unknown female injured
Child female Baby girl injured
Child female Baby girl injured
Child male injured
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 13
  • (1–4 children2–3 women2–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–8
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

  • Local rescuing team working to rescue civilians out from under the rubble following the contested airstrikes in Khan Shakhoun on October 7th, 2017 (via Nabaa News)
  • Local rescuing team working to rescue civilians out from under the rubble following the contested airstrikes in Khan Shakhoun on October 7th, 2017 (via @edlebmohammed)
  • Abdullah Salah al-Qadah was reportedly among the victims of the contested airstrikes in Khan Shakhoun on October 7th, 2017 (via VDC)
  • One of the many children who were left wounded following the contested airstrikes in Khan Shakhoun, October 7th, 2017 (via Mustafahajali85)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the many children who were left wounded following the contested airstrikes in Khan Shakhoun, October 7th, 2017 (via Mustafahajali85)

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
    5 – 13
  • (1–4 children2–3 women2–3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–8
  • 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

RS2608

Incident date

October 7, 2017

Location

معبر في الميادين, Crossing in the al Mayadeen area, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, one civilian man was reported killed by alleged Russian airstrikes in the crossing in the Al Mayadeen area of Deir Ezzor, Al Mayadeen Facebook page reported.

The Al Mayadeen Facebook page mentioned the death of Mahmud Hamwi as it was listing victims from alleged Russian strikes in different parts of al-Mayadeen on October 7th, 2017.

Currently, no further details are available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male From Tayba killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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

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

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2609

Incident date

October 7, 2017

Location

معبر مائي, Water Crossing between Al Mawsa and Al-Mashrada, and Al A’rkoub, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.498917, 40.926476 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians, possibly children, were killed by unidentified warplanes in the river-crossing between the town of Al-Sawsa and Al-Mashrada, and Al A’rkoub in Deir Ezzor, local media reported.

Two sources reported the death of two civilian men, referring to both as “the son of” and  “the young son”, suggesting that they both were children, though it is not confirmed by any sources.

Two sources, Marsad Al Hasaka and Euphrates Post identified one of the victims as “the son of Hussein Al-Ali Al Moukhala, while Aboazoz Jaber reported the death of  “Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Moukhala”, who most likely is the son of the above-mentioned Hussein Al-Ali Al Moukhala.

None of the three sources identified the responsible. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male from al-Moshahda village killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

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

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2610

Incident date

October 7, 2017

Location

العشارة, Al-A'shara, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.92, 40.56 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three and as many as 30 civilians, including one child and woman, were killed in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes on the town of Al-A’shara, Deir Ezzor, located media said.

Several sources reported the death of three named civilians, one child and two adult siblings, one man and one woman.

Multiple other sources reported that the airstrikes had hit an ISIS-controlled prison, consequently killing at least 30 of the detainees.

According to @AlSharqia24, the strikes hit residential areas “on the town of Al-Ashara near Al Raiss Cafe.”

Additionally, Step News Agency, who reported “heavy shelling by the Russian airplanes”, said that there were “no reports of damage.”

All the sources who reported about the shelling of the prison attributed blame to Russia. Meanwhile, the sources reporting about the death of the siblings and child, conflict as to whether Russia or the Syrian was behind. Most point to Russia while the Syrian Network for Human Rights blame the Syrian regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Age unknown female killed
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 30
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Footage from the moment the contested airstrike hit Al-A'shara, Deir Ezzor, October 7th 2017 (via DeirEzzor24)
  • Elias Khader Al-Awad, one of the victims of the contested airstrikes in Al-A'shara, Deir Ezzor, October 7th 2017 (via Marsad Al Hasakat)

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 strikes between October 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 – 30
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS2606

Incident date

October 7, 2017

Location

الطاحونة, al Tahouna neighbourhood, al Tayba, Al Mayadeen, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.08831, 38.914261 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians were killed and dozens more were wounded following airstrikes on Al-Tahoona. Sources all attributed blame to Russian warplanes.

Two out of three sources reported that three women were killed in the airstrikes, however the third reported that two children and a woman were killed. Airwars has therefore assessed that the death toll could be between three and five civilian deaths.

It was reported by DeirEzzor24 that “the warplanes launched a raid on the house of “Shams al-Abdullah” in the neighbourhood of the mill in the village of Taybeh”, wounding dozens and killing three.

The Al Mayadeen page on Facebook noted: “Bombing by Russian aircraft on the Tahounal neighborhood  resulted in a massacre against the vulnerable who as a result of poverty could not leave their homes and take refuge.”

The added that the number of dead was likely to rise due to severity of the injured and lack of medical facilites.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown female killed
Age unknown female killed
Age unknown female killed
Age unknown in the hospital in critical condition and his son under the rubble injured
Age unknown in the hospital in critical condition and his son under the rubble injured
Age unknown severe injuries injured
Age unknown injuries to face and body injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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

R2459a

Incident date

October 7, 2017

Location

خشام, Khasham, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian, identified by name, was killed by airstrikes striking in Khasham, Deir Ezzor, local media reported – though it was unclear who carried out the strike.

Violations Documentation Center attributed blame to “Russian warplanes” while the two remaining sources referred to “warplanes”.

There are currently no further details.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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

RS2612

Incident date

October 8, 2017

Location

القورية, Al-Qourya, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.96, 40.55 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians, including one child and one woman, were reportedly killed and several others wounded in alleged Russian strikes on city of Al-Qourya, Deir Ezzor, according to sources on the ground.

The strikes reportedly killed two adult brothers and another male family member, as well as a mother and her child, while the father was left seriously wounded, Syria2011 News reported.

Along with several other sources, Syria2011 News stressed that the strikes had inflicted great damage on civilian properties and houses. The source listed all the civilian houses that had been hit, which included: the house of Hassan Zakaria, the house of Abdel-Batim, Allawi’s successor, the house of Haj al-Ahmad, the house of Ali Al-Sayer, the house of Master Hawk, Nasser Al Hassan Stores, Ahmed Al-Oklah Al-Falah Stores, Ahmed Al-Aqla Al-Jajan Stores opposite the Mill (Al Tahouna) as well as Al-Fandi neighborhood, where more houses were damaged.

Among all the sources – who identified a culprit – all attributed blame to Russia. Meanwhile, several sources merely referred to “warplanes”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Family members (3)

Adult female killed
Child female killed
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child1 woman3 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • The town of Al-Qourya was according to this source hit by five unidentified airstrikes on October 8th, 2017 (via @Deirfree)
  • Footage from the moment the alleged Russian airstrikes hit Al-Qourya on October 8th, 2017 (via @Deirezzor24)
  • Footage from the moment the alleged Russian airstrikes hit Al-Qourya on October 8th, 2017 (via @Deirezzor24)
  • Jumaa Sulaiman al-Falah, one of the victims of the alleged Russian airstrikes striking Al-Qourya on October 8th, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)
  • The brothers Faisal Suleiman Al-Falah and Jumaa Suleiman Al-Falah were reportedly killed by the alleged Russian airstrikes striking Al-Qourya on October 8th, 2017 (via Lawhat Boukamalna)
  • Nasr al-Fawzi al-Assfar was reportedly among the victims killed by the alleged Russian airstrikes striking Al-Qourya on October 8th, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)

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 strikes between October 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child1 woman3 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 (14) [ collapse]