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

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]

Incident Code

RS400

Incident date

January 16, 2016

Location

تل رفعت, Tall Rif`at, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.472576, 37.096272 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Tel Rifa’at, according to the Shaam News Network.

SNN reported that 10 civilians were killed in airstrikes on the cities and towns of the northern countryside of Aleppo since Saturday morning: four in Ma’arsta al-Khan, two in Hayyan, two in Tel Rifa’at and two in Tamoura, in addition to dozens wounded.

According to a Tweet by @Reefhalab, Russia targeted Tel Rifa’at with three strikes with vacuum missiles on January 16th.

North Media Institute also reported three Russian strikes.

The Step Agency also reported that there had been Russian raids in Tel Rifa’at, leading to deaths and injuries, though they did not give numbers for Tel Rifa’at.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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

In its report for military actions on January 19 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of the last four days, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 157 combat sorties engaging 579 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure in the provinces of Aleppo, Raqqah, Latakia, Homs, Hama and Deir ez-Zor.” It adds: “In the suburbs of Tall Rifat (Aleppo province), a Su-25 attack aircraft eliminated a militants’ depot with ammunition and armaments. Objective monitoring registered detonation of explosives and total destruction of the building with all its contents.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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

RS2935

Incident date

January 26, 2018

Location

الكنايس أو الكنائس, Kanayes or Kana'es, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.7275, 35.7275 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A man and a woman were killed, and one other was injured in airstrikes which hit the vicinity of Kanayes or Kana’es, according to local media. Sources all blamed Russian warplanes for the raids.

The bombardement ‘targeted the village of churches” in Kanayes or Kana’es with napalm bombs, and RPG’s – according to local media.

The victims were named, as was the wounded civilian.

There are no other details at this time.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad al-Jaedan
Adult male killed
Horia Hasan al-Zamel
Adult female killed
Ahmed Hussein al-Zamel
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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]

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
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS2939

Incident date

January 28, 2018

Location

كفرنبل, Kafr Nabil, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6155094, 36.5471898 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two raids killed as many as two civilians in Kafr Nabil, according to local media. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, some attributing blame to Russia, while Violations Documentation Centre amongst others blame the Syrian regime.

According to media, as many as ten civilians were also injured in the raids, including three women and three children.

RFS Media Office is the only source to report that two civilians were killed. The others named one adult male. An image of him was published on a civilian Facebook Page.

There are no other details at this time.

The incident occured around midday.

The victims were named as:

Tayseer Khaled al-Othman
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes in Kafr Nabil, 28th Jan 2018. (via Ebaa News Agency)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes in Kafr Nabil, 28th Jan 2018. (via Ebaa News Agency)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes in Kafr Nabil, 28th Jan 2018. (via Ebaa News Agency)
  • The exact moment an airstrike hit Kafr Nabil, 28th Jan 2018. (via @Omar_Madaniah)
  • Tayseer Khaled al-Othman, killed in airstrikes on Kafr Nabil, 28th Jan 2018. (via Ibrahim Al Qasim)

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
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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

RS464

Incident date

January 26, 2016

Location

معرسة الخان, Ma'arasta Al Khan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.38032, 37.0744 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians – a man and a woman – were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on the road to Ma’arasta Al Khan. Radio Al Kul reported “the martyrdom of Mariam Abdullah aged 30 year from Russian Aviation targeting with rockets on the road of Ma’arasta el Khan in the northern Aleppo countryside this afternoon.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mariam Abdullah
30 years old female named by Radio Al Kul killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 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 (5) [ 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 woman1 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3400

Incident date

April 10, 2018

Location

النقير, Al Naqir, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.499547, 36.540818 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A man and a woman died as four air raids loaded with high-explosive missiles struck civilian houses in the town of Al Naqir, local media reported.

The attack was widely attributed to Russian warplanes by local sources. Idlib 24 also reported the involvement of Assad’s forces.

It came as Civil Defence teams continued to recover victims from an attack the previous day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mrs. Na’esa Noufal al Hamed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The killing of a man and a woman in Russian raids on the village of Naqir.
  • The aftermath of a strike on Al Naqir, April 10th.

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
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3838

Incident date

June 22, 2019

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma’ret Al Nu’man, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two children, twin brothers, were killed in an airstrike conducted by either the Russian or Syrian regime forces in Ma’arat al-Nu’man, according to local sources. Up to six other civilians were reported wounded.

Orient News said: “Two dead as a result of an air strike by the Russian occupation on Maarat al-Numan, south of Idlib.”

It later added in a more detailed report: “The Orient correspondent said that at least two twin brothers were killed by the Assad militia’s bombing of a car repair workshop on the outskirts of Maarat al-Numan, south of Idlib, with rockets and barrel bombs, and the bombing killed two people each in Khan al-Sobul and Kansafra.

EdlibNN reported: “Two children were killed and five were wounded by the bombing of the Assad militia’s warplanes, the city of Maarat al-Numan in the southern countryside of Idlib.”

Syrian Coalition tweeted: “Two children were killed, and 6 civilians were wounded, including a child, as a result of the terrorism of the Assad regime and Russia, with their aerial bombardment on the outskirts of Maarat al-Numan in the Idlib countryside.”

Syria Civil Defense wrote that “a fire broke out in a store on the outskirts of the city of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib countryside, after it was targeted by an air strike, as the fire was extinguished by firefighting teams.”

According to Step News, the twins were IDP’s from Ma’saram village.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Fahd Maho Duha al-Dani
Child male killed
Ahmad Fahd Maho Duha al-Dani
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteer putting out the fire caused by an airstrike that struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers at the scene after an airstrike struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteer at the scene after an airstrike struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers at the scene after an airstrike struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media)
  • Cars destroyed by an airstrike that struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media)
  • A building turned to rubble by an airstrike struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers at the scene after an airstrike struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media)
  • Destruction caused by an airstrike that struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Macro Media).
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers at the scene after an airstrike struck the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man on June 22nd (via Abdulazez Ketaz)

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 status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3856

Incident date

June 27, 2019

Location

الحواش, Al Hawash, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that two civilians were killed in an airstrike on Al Hawash, Hama, on June 27th.

Syria Civil Defense alleged that on June 27th there were “seven martyrs and 32 wounded, as a result of the continuous bombardment by the regime forces and its Russian ally” on June 27th, including “two civilians in al-Hawash.”

Mohamad Rasheed reported heavy artillery and mortar shelling by the Assad regime in the area, @liongeneral19 said the had been “bombing”. Both did no mention civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (3) [ 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 status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (3) [ collapse]