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

RS1808

Incident date

December 29, 2016

Location

جسر الشغور, Jisr Al Shoghour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81425, 36.319812 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male was killed, and two or more were injured, in alleged Russian airstrikes which struck the residential neighbourhood of Jisr Al Shoghour. All sources attributed blame to Russian aviation, which it is reported to have carried out four raids on the vicinity.

According to one source the attack consisted of three cluster bombs raids, whereas another source said rocket propelled grenades were used. There are additional reports which suggest missiles were launched on the vicinity.

Smart News confirmed that the wounded were taken to a nearby medical facility where they received treatment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Hani Al Sheikh
Adult male killed
Abd al-Nasir Haj Musa
Age unknown male injured
Mohamed Mostafa Hajj Khader
Age unknown male injured

Summary

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

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Jisr Al Shoghour (جسر الشغور), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.81425, 36.319812. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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 December 1st – 31st 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS4496

Incident date

March 1, 2020

Location

باتنتة, Batneta, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two to four civilians, including one child, were killed and five others, including two women, were injured as a result of an alleged Russian or Syrian Regime airstrike on agricultural lands in the vicinity of Batenta village near Idlib on the morning of March 1st 2020 according to local sources.

Almost all of the sources attributed the attack to Russian forces, however the Syrian Network of Human Rights (SNHR) stated that  “Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes” fired the missiles on the village.

Ahmed Sheikho, the director of the media office of the Syrian Civil Defense in Idlib, said in a statement that four civilians, including a child, were killed and five others, including two women, were wounded as a result of a raid by Russian warplanes targeting agricultural lands in the vicinity of Batenta village, north of Idlib. The civil defense team worked to rescue the injured and retrieve the dead bodies.

While most of the sources reported the death of 4 civilians, Edlib Media Center mentioned that the airstrike killed 2 people, and Syrian Network for Human Rights stated on the day following the attack that 3 civilians, including one child, were killed.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on agricultural lands near the village of Batneta, Idlib governorate, on March 1st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • Site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on agricultural lands near the village of Batneta, Idlib governorate, on March 1st, 2020 (via EMC).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on agricultural lands near the village of Batneta Idlib governorate, on March 1st, 2020 (via EMC).
  • The Civil defense checks the remnants of the weapon used in the attack near the village of Batenta, north of Idlib. March 01, 2020 (Syrian Civil Defense)
  • The Civil defense checks the remnants of the weapon used in the attack near the village of Batenta, north of Idlib. March 01, 2020 (Idlib Gate)

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 – 4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4529

Incident date

October 31, 2020

Location

تلتونه, Taltuna, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.016907, 36.587482 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reportedly killed and five others were injured after an alleged airstrike by a Russian or Syrian or Iranian drone on agricultural lands in the village of Taltuna, west of  Ma’arat Misrin north of Idlib on the morning of October 31st, 2020 according to local sources.

According to sources including Orient news and Halab Today TV, one civilian was killed and five others were injured and transferred to medical points for treatment after a drone bombed an agricultual area in the vicinity of the city of Ma’arat Misrin. Specifically, the Democratic Union mentioned on Facebook that activists said that a “suicide drone” bombed an “effective olive-picking workshop” in the village of Taltuna, near Ma’arat Maisrin and an activist called Wedad Hamad (@Gurbtwatan) reported that the victims were agricultural workers harvesting olives.

Most of the sources that reported on the incident either did not mention the belligerent behind the attack or stated that the airstrike was by an “unidentified drone”. Few others including the Democratic Union and Masar Press network claimed that the drone was Russian. Sham News as well reported that the Syrian Civil Defence “revealed the nature of the recent strikes in Idlib countryside from a reconnaissance plane believed to be Russian, which targeted an area west of the city of Ma’arat Misrin, pointing out that its bombs are equipped with mines intended for detonation with wires”. On the other hand, a tweet by (@Gurbtwatan) mentioned that the drone likely belongs to the Syrian regime, and another tweet by (@NagiNajjar) claimed that the drone involved in the attack was Iranian.

Note that according to a post by Radio Al-Kul the attack happened while “the entire liberated areas in Idlib governorate were subject to a Turkish-Russian ceasefire agreement after March 5, 2020”, and Masar News network reported that alleged Russian drones “intensified their overflights over the city of Idlib and Jabal al-Zawiya, where they monitor and target any movements of civilians in the area” and added that thousands of civilians in the areas of northwest Syria “go to agricultural lands to pick their crops, in light of the artillery and air bombardment chasing them.”

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "Southern Idlib, Maarat Misrin - a martyr and 5 wounded due to an Iranian drone targeting a civilian area in the vicinity of Maarat Misrin" (via @NagiNajjar).
  • Suicide drone. Unclear if this photo is of the alleged Russian, Syrian regime or Iranian drone strikes on the town of Taluna on October 31st, 2020 (via @NagiNajjar).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Taltuna (تلتونه), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.016907, 36.587482. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R915a

Incident date

July 16, 2016

Location

مشفى عمر بن عبد العزيز في حي المعادي, Omar Abd Al Aziz Hospital, Al Maadi, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, there were injuries to medical staff and material damage to the Omar Bin Abdul Aziz Hospital in the Maadi neighbourhood in Aleppo on July 16th 2016 after an alleged Russian or Syrian regime missile targeted the healthcare facility.

Other local sources, such as Radio Al Kul and @salqin also described that there were deaths but did not state the number. It reported that there were “martyrs, wounded, and massive destruction of residential buildings, and Omar Bin Abdul Aziz hospital was out of service as a result of the helicopters dropping naval mines on the neighbourhood of Maadi in the old Aleppo.”

There was a mixture of reports blaming both the Russian forces and the Syrian regime. Aleppo AMC posted on Facebook that the “Regime’s helicopters targeted with more than eight naval mines Omar Bin Abdul Aziz Hospital.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • @AFPar photo of two paramedics at the Omar Abdel Aziz Hospital in the Maadi neighbourhood which was reportedly targeted by Russian or Syrian regime missiles on July 16th 2016 (Image via Twitter)
  • @SN4HR tweeted that their were "government warplanes bombarded with missiles near Omar Bin Abdul Aziz Hospital in the neighbourhood of Aleppo" on July 16th 2022 (Image via Twitter)

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 infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4490

Incident date

November 17, 2022

Location

الاتارب, Al Atareb, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between five and six civilians, including up to five children, were injured by alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery shelling of the outskirts of Al Atareb on November 17, 2022.

The @SyriaCivilDefe reported that six people, including two children, were injured by Syrian regime and Russian artillery shelling of the outskirts of Al Atareb. The Civil Defense volunteers transferred one of the injured to a specialized hospital for treatment.

@thiqanewsagency put the number of civilians injured at five and attributed the shelling to the regime forces while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that all five of the injuries were children.

The majority of sources attributed the incident to the Syrian regime, with Radio Al Kul specifying that the strike were carried out by regime forces stationed in the 46th regiment. However, both @Yassmin_ya1 and the Syrian Civil Defense identified both the Syrian regime and Russia as being responsible for the shelling. @Step_Agency reported that both artillery and missiles were part of the bombardment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Civil Defense volunteers assist a civilian injured by alleged Russian and Syrian regime strikes on Al Atari on November 17, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense via Twitter)

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4521

Incident date

June 24, 2023

Location

بسبت, Basbat, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Saturday June 24th 2023, an alleged airstrike by Russian armed forces hit a farm in the village of Basbat, in the countryside of Jisr al-Shughour, west of Idlib, northwest Syria, killing two civilians and injuring others.

Sources including @SyriaCivilDefe, @DeirEzzore twitter accounts, and Syria TV reported two civilians being killed by the airstrike on a farm, Abdo Mustafa Sino and his brother Osama Mustafa Sino. Syria TV and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights are the only two sources reporting an unspecified number of injured.

Enab Baladi News and @SyriaCivilDefe twitter account also reported that the attack took place on the farm where the two young brothers were located, in the village of Basbat in the countryside of Jisr al-Shughur, west of Idlib. Shaam News added that the strikes were against workers harvesting the wheat crop.

In addition, the attack caused damage and panic in a densely populated neighborhood because of the effects of the recent devastating earthquake. Moreover, according to Shaam, the attacks from regime and Russian warplanes in the region escalated concurrently with the start of the last round of meetings in Astana. Additionally, Al Jazeera Mubasher and North Press Agency reported a statement by the Syrian opposition air traffic tracking observatory, which declared that the alleged Russian warplanes that attacked the village departed from the Hmeimim base in Lattakia at around 3pm.

The suspected attacker is alleged to be Russia, as reported by most of the sources including @SyriaCivilDefe twitter account, Al Jazeera Mubasher, and Al Araby, although responsibility has not been accepted explicitly.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abdo Mustafa Sino عبدو مصطفى سينو
male killed
Osama Mustafa Sino اسامه مصطفى سينو
male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]

  • White Helmet volunteers respond to alleged Russian airstrikes in Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • White Helmet volunteers respond to alleged Russian airstrikes in Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • White Helmet volunteers respond to alleged Russian airstrikes in Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • White Helmet volunteers respond to alleged Russian airstrikes in Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The first moments of our teams' response to the Russian air raids on the village of Basbat in the countryside of Jisr al-Shughour, west of Idlib, today, Saturday, June 24, which resulted in the killing of two civilians (two young men), inside their farm.
  • Civilians from one family were killed as a result of Russian raids that targeted a farm in the village of Basbat in the western countryside of Jisr al-Shughour
  • Alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @HalabTodayTV)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @HalabTodayTV)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @HalabTodayTV)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @HalabTodayTV)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @Nidalhamo_d)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @Nidalhamo_d)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @Nidalhamo_d)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian airstrikes on Basbat on June 24, 2023. (Image posted by @Nidalhamo_d)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4573

Incident date

October 5, 2023

Location

بنش, Binnish, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one man was injured after alleged Syrian regime and/or Russian artillery shelling in the southern periphery of the town of Binnish, east of Idlib on October 5th, 2023.

On Facebook, Bunch Now alleged that there were “light injuries” amongst the civilian population, but multiple injuries were not reported elsewhere. Syrian Civil Defense reported that they checked the area the evening of the strike, and confirmed there were no more injured.

The strike also led to destruction of property—a school was damaged, and has been referred to as either the Ibn Khaldoun School or the Farid Qabbani School. It is possible that both schools were hit.

Identification of the belligerent is contested: while some sources attributed the  strike to regime forces or regime-affiliated militias, Abu Muhammad Binsh, in a post on Facebook, pointed to Iranian militia involvement, and a Facebook post from Coordination of the Syrian Revolution mentioned potential Russian collusion. Q Street Journal on Twitter/X reported that the belligerents were targeting “militant positions.”

Numerous sources described the artillery as “intensive” and “violent.” Another source, @rh_albasha, stated that the bombardment was of the type “considered the most violent.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Source: @SyriaCivilDefe
  • Source: @SyriaCivilDefe
  • Source: @SyriaCivilDefe
  • Source: @SyriaCivilDefe
  • Source: Aziz Asmar
  • Source: Media office in Binnish
  • Source: Media office in Binnish
  • Source: @qstreetjournal

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Education
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS020 CS133

Incident date

October 6, 2015

Location

عندان, Anadan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.29353, 37.04466 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children and a 46 year old male were reported killed during four alleged Russian strikes in the evening on Anadan. Another man was also named as a victim by VDC. Eyewitnesses described at least one secondary, or ‘double tap’ strike.

A local medic told Qassioun: “Between the afternoon and evening Russian planes carried out intensive raids on areas in the northern Aleppo countryside which led to dozens of injured and three deaths. One of the martyrs is a ten year old boy, a young man of 17 years old and a 40 year old man. The injuries are very serious.”

Smart TV showed footage of Russian aircraft which it said was filmed near Aleppo: “Spotted at 17:30 in the evening, for the first time, one of the Russian planes in the sky of the city of Aleppo on their way to carry out raids on the villages and towns of the countryside.”

And Ibrahim Kharfan, a rebel in the town, insisted only civilian areas were being targeted: “The Russians are claiming, along with the regime and all those supporting this rotten regime they are claiming they are targeting [military] bases. We are here in Anadan and everything you see here is civilian houses. All the bombing now is being directed at civilians’ houses.”

While there was near consensus that Russia was responsible, VDC continues to list both boys as having been killed in a US-led Coalition strike.

In their January 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no strikes were conducted in the geographical area at the time.

The incident occured at 17:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Amin al-Sageer
Adult male He was 46 years old and VDC says he was killed due to Russian strikes killed
Amin al-Sageer
Adult male killed
Abd al-Rahman al-Sageer
Child male He was 10 years old and VDC says he was killed due to coalition shelling killed
Ahmad Othman Hamidi
Child male He was 17 years old and VDC says he was killed due to coalition shelling killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A video reporting four alleged Russian raids on the town of Anadan on, 6th October 2015. (via, The Syrian Civil Defence)
  • Footage reporting that Russian planes targeted Anadan in Aleppo for the first time, 6th October 2015. (via Arabs in Turkey)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of one of the children, Abed Al Rahman al Sageer, killed in the raid on Anadan, 6th October 2015. (via, VDC)
  • News bulletin reporting that 4 Russian raids on Anadan had caused deaths and injuries. One eyewitness reports that two brothers were killed in the raid. [Via: Al Aan news]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Although Russia reported 20 combat sorties for October 6th 2015, no reference was made to strikes in Aleppo governorate. The Russian MoD also intimated that opposition forces were faking reports of civilian casualties: “It cannot be ruled out that now terrorists are intentionally preparing acts of provocation such as detonation of mosques in order to demonstrate fake photos and videos to indict the Russian aviation.”

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SCA244183
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 3, 2020

  • October 6, 2015, in Anadan, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2851/CS133 37SCA244183

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition

Sources (11) [ collapse]