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

RS2211

Incident date

May 3, 2017

Location

سوحا, Doha, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, an alleged Russian air raid killed one woman and wounded another three civilians as it struck the village of Soha, eastern Hama, the Smart News Agency reported.

A local source told Smart News that “the warplanes launched missile attacks on the outskirts of the village of Suha in the peaceful area (30 km east of the city of Hama), which led to the death of women and injury to  other civilians – moderate and critical injuries. The wounded were transferred to a hospital in the areas under  control of the Organization [ISIS] in Deir al-Zour.”

There is no further information currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

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

Summary

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

RS2212

Incident date

May 3, 2017

Location

دركوش, Darkoush, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.9916361, 36.3938856 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One girl was killed and up to 24 other civilians were wounded following an incident in a camp for displaced people in Darkoush, Idlib, that was possibly caused by a Russian drone, local media reported.

Several sources reported the death of a nine-year-old girl while the number of wounded varied between five and 24. Moreover, hundreds of tents were set on fire and many were left homeless, local media said.

The incident took place in the so-called ‘Aleppo 1 Camp’, west of Darkoush, Idlib, near the Turkish border.

While most sources pointed to an unidentified unmanned aircraft, one source, Orient News, reported that a fire broke out in the camp, causing a plane to crash, which only increased the fire.

Syria News Desk likewise reported that the head of the Al-Bunyan camp, Abdul Jabbar Khalil, told the media that “a gas jar exploded in one of the camps for displaced persons near the city of Drakoush on the border with Turkey known as ‘Aleppo 1 Camp’ – and a huge fire broke out”.

However, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “cross-sources confirmed that the fire broke out due to bombing by planes believed to be unmanned, which targeted the mosque located in the village within a series of camps known as Camps of Osman Ibn Affan’.”

A witness on the ground told Umayyapress that “a remote reconnaissance plane bombed the Jamiliya camp at the beginning, and then the camp (Aleppo 1) was shelled with a gas canister in one of the tents.”

The Shaam News Network was the only source that blamed Russia, reporting: “A Russian reconnaissance plane fired small-scale missiles on the Al-Wafa and Halab 1 camps in Jisr al-Shughur, causing large fires in the camps, burning dozens of tents, Dozens of civilians were wounded and a child was killed”.

It is unclear whether the incident was even caused by a drone or merely a fire on the ground.

The incident occured around dusk.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • The contested air raid set many of the camp's tents on fire in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Umayyapress)
  • The contested air raid set many of the camp's tents on fire in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Umayyapress)
  • The contested air raid set many of the camp's tents on fire in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Umayyapress)
  • The contested air raid set many of the camp's tents on fire in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Umayyapress)
  • The contested air raid set many of the camp's tents on fire in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Umayyapress)
  • The contested air raid set many of the camp's tents on fire in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Umayyapress)
  • Aftermath of the destructive air raid in Aleppo 1 camp in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via HalabTodayTV)
  • Immediate aftermath of the destructive air raid in Aleppo 1 camp in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Coordination of Jisr Al Shughur)
  • Aftermath of the destructive air raid in Aleppo 1 camp in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via HalabTodayTV)
  • White Helmets members trying extinguish the fire in the wake of the contested UAV hitting a camp in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Idlib Syria White Helmets)
  • White Helmets members trying extinguish the fire in the wake of the contested UAV hitting a camp in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via Idlib Syria White Helmets)
  • White Helmets members trying extinguish the fire in the wake of the contested UAV hitting a camp in Darkoush, Idlib, May 3rd, 2017 (via SN4HR)

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 May 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 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2213

Incident date

May 3, 2017

Location

زرزور, Zarzour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.95475, 36.340756 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians were left wounded following an alleged Russian airstrike in al-Wafa’a Camp, near Zarzur, Idlib, local media reported.

RFS Media Office reported that “three civilians were seriously wounded today [May 3rd], following an air strike carried out by a Russian UAV, targeting “Al-Wafa’a Camp” near the village of Zarzur in the countryside of Idlib, northern Syria.”

An eye witness in the camp told the Syria News Agency that “a drone dropped bombs on the camp near the Turkish border, “causing two injuries.”

Most sources reported that an unmanned aircraft carried out the strike, just as sources did after the event in Darkous (RS2072) on the same day, where an unmanned aircraft reportedly struck the ‘Aleppo 1 Camp’, in the same area.

Only two sources, RFS Media and MasarPressNet, identified the responsible party – and both pointed to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the alleged Russian strike in al-Wafaa Camp in Zarzour, May 3rd, 2017 (via Baladi News)
  • Images associated with the alleged Russian airstrikes in al-Wafaa Camp in Idlib, May 3rd, 2017. However, the source is not clear as to whether the image depicts the aftermath in al-Wafa'a or Aleppo 1 Camp (via @tarikabdaluhak)

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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2210

Incident date

May 2, 2017

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma'arat Al-Nu'man, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6477913, 36.6591881 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A remnant from a cluster bomb, allegedly Russian, killed one man and wounded another civilian when it exploded in Maarat al-Nu’man, Idlib, local media reported.

All known sources agreed that the incident was triggered by a cluster bomb remnant from a previous Russian bombardment. Step News reported that the civilian harm was caused “after the explosion of a cluster bomb remnant from a previous Russian raid on Maarat al-Nu’man in Idlib.”

It is, however, unclear whether the male victim, identified by name, was a civilian or a fighter. Step News referred to him as a civilian while a photo of him carrying a weapon was published on Facebook by Salim Mohammad Sheafi.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Sadeer was reportedly killed when remnants from a cluster munition exploded in Ma'arat Al-Nu'man, Idlib, May 2nd, 2017. It remains unclear whether he was a fighter or a non-combatant (via Salim Mohammad Sheafi Facebook)

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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2207A

Incident date

May 1, 2017

Location

جبل ابو الظهور , Abo Al Zohour mountain, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.738569, 37.048087 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, Smart News Agency reported that airstrikes, likely to be Russian, hit the mountain of Abu al Dhouhour in Idlib, wounding six civilians, including children and women.

There is currently no further information available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2208

Incident date

May 1, 2017

Location

الطيبة, al-Tayba, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

35.08895, 38.91597 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, Smart News Agency reported that warplanes, likely to be Russian, carried out air raids “on the vicinity of the village of Taybeh (…), killing two civilians, wounding three others, in addition to the death of livestock.”

Currently, no further information is available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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

RS2205

Incident date

May 1, 2017

Location

حمورية, Hamouriya, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.528464, 36.389472 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, a baby girl, her mother and a boy, were killed and dozens more civilians were wounded as Hamuriya, Damascus, was hit by airstrikes, local media reported. Though it was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

Most sources reported the death of three civilians, namely a four-year-old baby girl, her mother and a 14-year old boy. Photos of the baby girls were published along with the reports.

The number of wounded spanned among the reports from two to “dozens”, while many reported around ten, including children.  Images were shared on social media of a little girl who was rescued from under the rubble.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights and Al Jazeera blamed the “Syrian-Russian Alliance” while several other sources only blamed the Syrian regime. Others merely referred to “warplanes”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Adult female killed
4 months years old female killed

The victims were named as:

14 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Sawsan al-Assassi, four months old, was reportedly killed by the airstrikes in Hamouriya, Damascus, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime on May 1st, 2017 (via SN4HR)
  • A child was rescued alive from under the rubble following the airstrikes in Hamouriya, Damascus, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime on May 1st, 2017 (via Syrian Civil Defense)
  • The civil defence rescued a child from under the rubble following the airstrikes in Hamouriya, Damascus, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime on May 1st, 2017 (via Enab Baladi)
  • The civil defence rescued a child from under the rubble following the airstrikes in Hamouriya, Damascus, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime on May 1st, 2017 (via al-Jazeera)
  • Destruction caused by the contested attack in Hamouriya, Damascus, May 1st 2017 (via @msallam19)
  • A baby was killed by the airstrikes in Hamouriya, Damascus, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime on May 1st, 2017 (via @nabeelAljamaey)
  • Sawsan al-Assassi, four months old, was reportedly killed as Assad or Russian-waged airstrikes struck the city of Hamouriya, Damascus, May 1st, 2017 (via Barzeh94)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2209A

Incident date

May 1, 2017

Location

كفربطنا , Kafar Batna, Eastern Ghouta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.514529, 36.374577 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Russia or Syria warplanes carried out air raids in Kafar Batna, Eastern Ghouta, wounding several civilians, local media reported.

Enab Baladi reported through the civil defence that “three guided missile strikes and a cluster missile targeted the towns of Kafar Batna and Saqba in conjunction with the bombing of the town of Hamuriya, which led to the injury of dozens of civilians”.

Specifically reporting from Kafar Batna, sources reported “a number” of wounded civilians.

While most sources did not identify the culprit, several blamed both the Syrian regime and Russia; among these were al-Jazeera and @MHDYASEEN4.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A child rescued from under the rubble following the contested airstrikes in Kafar Batna, Eastern Ghouta, May 1st, 2017 (via @Um_Zed_homs)
  • A child rescued from under the rubble following the contested airstrikes in Kafar Batna, Eastern Ghouta, May 1st, 2017 (via Jobar)
  • Destruction of Kafar Batna, Eastern Ghouta, following the contested airstrikes on May 1st, 2017 (via Jabar)
  • Rescuing team is recusing civilians from under the rubble following the contested airstrikes in Kafar Batna, Eastern Ghouta, May 1st, 2017 (via Jobar)

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 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]