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

RS2373

Incident date

July 30, 2017

Location

الخميسية, Al-Khamesiya, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.764585, 39.564181 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A shepherd was killed during the bombing on the outskirts of a “camp” – most likely for internally displaced people – in Al-Khamesiya. Sources all attributed blame to Russia for the strikes.

A source states that “the house of Fawaz al-Hamdan was bombed, and the house of Mohammed al-Ghafili, and Beit Hamoud al-Dashar… [as well as] bombing the morning on the outskirts of the camp”. This was all within the vicinity of Al-Khamesiya.

In unpublished Amnesty field notes shared with Airwars, it was reported that “Fifteen days ago [c July 11th] ‘the Russians’ started dropping barrel bombs [in the areas near Maadan]. The first barrel bomb attack on Maadan was one week ago [around 19 July]. We stayed in the area during the bombardment for three days but we ran to the fields. They would kill 50 civilians for one [member of] IS.”

There are no further details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Dayes (Abu Jassim)
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 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 (7) [ 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 July 1st – 31st 2017.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2657

Incident date

October 24, 2017

Location

بياعية الدناش, Baya'eyat Al-Danash, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.699826, 37.117739 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was killed, and between one and five other civilians were injured, following airstrikes on Baya’eyat Al-Danash, Aleppo, local media reported. Sources all blamed Russian warplanes for the strikes, however one local source did not attribute blame to any belligerent.

Initial reporting suggested that two women were injured and a child was killed. But other sources were unspecific on numbers, reporting there were “several casualties among the civilians”, suggesting both dead and wounded.

SDF Aleppo published images reporting that “The Civil Defence team went to the scene and recovered the wounded from the rubble and brought them to the medical points.”

Step News specified that the Russian warplanes “targeted” the vicinity “after midnight with rocket rockets”.

The following day on the 25th, the Smart News Agency said that there were as many as five wounded civilians from this casualty event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Members of the Civil Defence pulling a family of wounded civilians from the rubble following an airstrike on their home, Baya'eyat Al-Danash, 24th October 2017/ (via SCD Aleppo)
  • Members of the Civil Defence pulling a family of wounded civilians from the rubble following an airstrike on their home, Baya'eyat Al-Danash, 24th October 2017/ (via SCD Aleppo)
  • Members of the Civil Defence pulling a family of wounded civilians from the rubble following an airstrike on their home, Baya'eyat Al-Danash, 24th October 2017/ (via SCD Aleppo)
  • Members of the Civil Defence pulling a family of wounded civilians from the rubble following an airstrike on their home, Baya'eyat Al-Danash, 24th October 2017/ (via SCD Aleppo)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2785

Incident date

December 6, 2017

Location

السيال, Al-Sayyal, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.5713889, 40.9066667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One man was killed and between eight and nine civilians were injured in airstrikes on Al-Sayyal river crossing, according to local media. All sources attributed blame to Moscow.

@asharqasouri reported that Dr. Sayed Ahmed Kadouri was injured in the bombing and was transferred to a hospital where he received medial attention.

Qasioun News gave the highest number of injured civilians, whereas other local media reported no more than one was wounded.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Hamid Suleiman Kadouri
Adult male Reportedly an engineer, according to Tariq Al Razj killed
Dr. Sayed Ahmed Kadouri
Adult injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–8
  • 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]

  • Abdul-Hamid Sulaiman Al-kadouri, killed in airstrikes which hit Al-Sayyal river crossing, 6th December 2017. (via Tariq Al Razj)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced being active in unspecified parts of Syria until December 11th, 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–8
  • 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

RS056

Incident date

October 18, 2015

Location

تيرمعلة, Teir Ma'ala, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.802364, 36.709287 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An adult male civilian named as Ammar Al Ali was reported killed in an alleged new Russian airstrike on Teir Ma’ala.

Al Arabiya reported that “The northern countryside of Homs saw a fierce attack [on October 18th] with an attempt to break into the area by regime forces under air cover provided by Russian aircraft. The attack came from several directions.”

However, AP reported that Assad regime helicopters also carried out barrel bomb attacks on the town.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ammar Al Ali
Adult male killed

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, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Homs, Teir Ma’ala. Russian warplanes carry out their first strike. 18/10/2015 (via Mahmood Al-Louz)
  • Homs, Teir Ma’ala. Russian warplanes carrying out their second strike 18/10/2015 (via Mahmood Al-Louz)
  • Homs, Teir Ma’ala Russian warplanes carry out their third strike. 18/10/2015 (via Mahmood Al-Louz)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Russians made no public reference to any airstrikes in Homs governorate for October 18th-19th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3690

Incident date

May 10, 2019

Location

كفرزيتا, Kafar Zeita, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafar Zeita, multiple local sources reported.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “Loay Barazi was killed as fixed- wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles on Kafr Zita city in Hama governorate northern suburbs, on May 10th.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Loay Barazi لؤي برازي
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2880

Incident date

January 10, 2018

Location

كفرسجنة, Kafr Sajneh, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.5261134, 36.5813398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A child, Ayman Abdelkader El Sayed, died from his wounds “a few days” after an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Sajneh, local media reported. Both sources blamed Russia.

Only two sources reported on the child’s death. One of them described the raid as a Russian “missile attack”.

There were no reports of wounded and no other details given.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ayman Abdelkader El Sayed
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Ayman Abdelkader El Sayed died from his wounds days after an alleged Russian airstrike, 10th Jan 2018. (via VDC)

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
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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

RS3709

Incident date

May 24, 2019

Location

كفرنبل, Kafr Nubul, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

Residential neighbourhoods of Kafr Nabil were subject to a number of airstrikes on May 24th, leading to the death of one child, named Ahmad Mahmoud Salah al-Satam, according to local media.

With a number of sources referring to “others wounded”, Smart News claimed that the rest of Ahmad’s family were hospitalised as a result of the strikes. Although the majority of sources attributed blame to the Syrian Regime, Euphrates Post and Hamah Now named Russia as responsible for the strikes.

In a video released by Smart News, activist Mohammed al-Ja`ar stated that “the planes targeted three mosques and several houses in the city”, with one of the mosques damaged named as Omar Bin al Khattab mosque by the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

As one alleged incident of many, Shaam News reported that Friday prayers in mosques were cancelled in the cities and towns of Idlib and Hama as result of continued airstrikes.

Smart News reported that “the forces of the regime and Russia have been carrying out intensive aerial bombardment of Idlib and Hama for weeks, killing and injuring hundreds of civilians, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and causing extensive damage to infrastructure, especially hospitals and schools.”

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Mahmoud Salah Al-Sheikh or al-Satam أحمد محمود صلاح الشيخ
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Russian aviation targets two mosques in Kafr Nubul with two airstrikes.
  • The child Ahmed Salah Al-Sheikh is a martyr after the air strikes this morning on the town of Kafr Nubul in Idlib countryside.
  • Intense raids alternating between two warplanes Sekhoy 22 and Sekhoy 24 with vacuum missiles on residential neighborhoods in the city of Kafr Nubul.
  • Alleged Russian airstrikes on two mosques in Kafr Nubul on May 24th, 2019 (via @M25hLAkKS2ra6WD).
  • Raids on residential areas in Idlib on May 24th, 2019. (via @NagiNajjar ).

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
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS282

Incident date

December 15, 2015

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male civilian, named as Khaled Iyad al-Khaled, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Idlib city, according to the Violations Documentation Centre and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

No further details are currently available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khaled Iyad al-Khaled
Adult male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 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 (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 15th-16th 2015, Russia reported that “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 59 combat sorties engaging 212 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah provinces… Near Maarat an-Numan (Idlib province), a Su-25 attack aircraft destroyed a large ISIS base. In a separate building, there was an ammunition and materiel depot, as well as a command centre of illegal armed groups. Data concerning the coordinates of this object had been received by the Russian Defence Ministry from representatives of the Syrian opposition. After the data had been checked by the Information centre in Baghdad and unmanned aerial vehicles conducted additional reconnaissance of the base, a Su-25 attack aircraft eliminated this facility.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 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 (3) [ collapse]