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)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
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Incident Code

RS2050

Incident date

April 1, 2017

Location

كنيسة نخلة, Kanissat Nakhla, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.822615, 36.376569 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman was killed and as many as four other civilians were wounded, in an alleged Russian raid on Kanissat Nakhla, local media reported. All sources either attributed blame to Russia, or unidentified warplanes.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights singularly reported that a school (Nakhla Church School) was struck in the raid, and published a picture showing partial destruction to the inside of a school building. Other sources said that various parts of the area was destroyed, with no reference to any specific buildings.

Syria newsdesk reported that two rocket-propelled grenades struck the vicinity, leaving a female casualty and four wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Nakhla Church School in Nakhla Church village in the aftermath of an alleged Russian raid, 1st April 2017. (via SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2049

Incident date

April 1, 2017

Location

الغسانية, Al Ghassaniya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.8142663, 36.2616084 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as three civilians were killed – including one woman – and several others were wounded, as a result of alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Ghassaniya, Idlib, local media reported.

There were no specific figures regarding wounded civilians published.

The strikes allegedly occurred at noon, and included surface to surface missiles, according to Al Jazeera.

There are no other details at this time.

The incident occured around midday.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (10) [ 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 April 1st – 31st 2017.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2052

Incident date

April 1–2, 2017

Location

جسر الشغور, Jisr al Shoughour, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.814269, 36.31994 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the evening of April 1st, warplanes, likely to be Russian, bombed the city of Jisr al Shoughour, according to local media. A man and a woman were allegedly both wounded, however the man later succumbed to his wounds in the hospital. Some reports allocated this strike to the Syrian regime, while others blamed Russian warplanes. 

Local sources reported that this airstrike followed strikes in the vicinity earlier that night, including one on an Ahrar al Sham headquarters in Harim, close to the Turkish border.

There are no other details at this time.

The incident occured around midnight.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Man pulled from rubble after an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shoughour, 1st April 2017. (via Idlib Media Center).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Person covered in a blanket pulled from rubble after an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shoughour, 1st April 2017. (via Idlib Media Center).
  • Aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shoughour, 1st April 2017. (via Idlib Media Center).
  • Destruction caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shoughour, 1st April 2017. (via Idlib Media Center).
  • Destruction caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shoughour, 1st April 2017. (via Idlib Media Center).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Unknown.

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)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2051

Incident date

April 1, 2017

Location

أورم الكبرى, Orme al Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.147179, 36.9367003 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four children and a woman died and as many as eight further civilians were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra in Aleppo, according to local media.

AhmadMowafaq tweeted that there had been a “chemical bombardment on the Great Orm countryside Aleppo and the United Nations and America is silent and blind to comment” – though it didn’t identify the culprit.

However other sources attributed the event to Russia, According to Orient, “Russian warplanes carried out several air strikes with rockets on the Al-Radwan [Residential Society] and Olabi Al-Alabab in the town of Orm Al-Kubra, resulting in the death of a martyr woman and the wounding of five children, including a girl who was severely burned”.

However, RFS Media Office named four children as killed.

Omar Madaniah tweeted an image of “a girl severely burned by a Russian air raid on the town of Orme al Kubra”.

According to Smart, Russia  “targeted two residential compounds in the town, with space rockets” – one of which was the ‘Radwan Residential Society’.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdel-Hai Abu Abay
13 years old killed
Yehia Abu Abbas
6 years old killed
Ahmed Abu Ali
4 years old killed
Hasna Abu Abay
3 years old killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–8
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: 'Chemical bombardment on the Great Orm countryside # Aleppo and the United Nations and # America is silent and blind to comment.'
  • 'A girl was severely burned by a Russian air raid on the town of Orme al Kubra'
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Orient)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • Prayers are said over the body of a civlian killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)

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 specific strikes between April 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–8
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2048

Incident date

March 31, 2017

Location

بعربو, Ba'arbo, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.491896, 36.471455 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and three civilians, including two women and a female child, were killed and others were wounded in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes against the town of Ba’arbo in the southern countryside of Idlib. At the time of their death, the civilians that were killed were riding in a car. According to @Omar_Madaniah, the civilians killed in the airstrikes were members of a family that had been displaced from Kal’et al Madeek.

Conflicting reports were given as to who was responsible for the airstrikes against Ba’arbo. While Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that Russia was responsible for carrying out the airstrikes, @huseen_syria attributed the airstrikes to regime planes.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child2 women)
  • 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 (8) [ 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
    2 – 3
  • (1 child2 women)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2046

Incident date

March 31, 2017

Location

سرجة, Sarja, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5816284, 36.9212293 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on the outskirts of Sarja in the southern Idlib countryside. Conflicting reports were given as to who was responsible for the airstrikes, with Idlib Media Centre and @eyadne61 identifying Russian planes as responsible while @RevoZamalka published that the airstrikes were believed to be carried out by the regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (4) [ 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
    Unknown
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2044

Incident date

March 30, 2017

Location

حقل شاعر النفطي, Sha'er oil field, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.896111, 37.945 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were killed, including a child, and four others were injured in airstrikes against the Sha’er oil field in eastern Homs, local media reported. The civilians that were injured were transferred to a hospital in the nearby village of Hamadi Omar in eastern Hama.

According to Smart News Agency, the airstrikes were likely carried out by Russian warplanes. However, only one source reported on the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2045

Incident date

March 30, 2017

Location

معرة النعمان, Maarat al Numan, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were killed and between five and six others were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes against the city of Maarat al Numan in the Idlib countryside. The majority of local sources only reported injuries while Syrian Mirror reported that there were also deaths of civilians from the airstrikes. The injured civilians were rescued from the rubble by civil defense teams and transported to local medical points.

The consensus among local sources that identified responsibility, including @angelinazoom and Syrian Network for Human Rights, was that Russian planes were to blame for carrying out the airstrikes.

According to Syrian Mirror, the airstrikes were composed of both rockets and cluster bombs and caused the destruction of houses and shops. Images of the remnants of the cluster bombs were posted by Syrian Network for Human Rights and Smart News Agency.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Omar Hndawi
Age unknown male injured
Mohamed Chardoub
Age unknown injured
Hazem Othman
Age unknown injured
Mohammed Sarkabi
Age unknown injured
Anas Samahi
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Remnants of cluster bombs from airstrikes against Maarat al Numan on March 30th, 2017 (via Smart News Agency)
  • Image of the destruction of a building caused by airstrikes against Maarat al Numan on March 30th, 2017 (via Idlib Media Centre Facebook)
  • Remnants of cluster bombs from airstrikes against Maarat al Numan on March 30th, 2017 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]