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

RS3504

Incident date

June 30, 2018

Location

معربة, Ma'arba, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Up to 17 civilians, 9 of which are from the same family, were reported killed as a result of alleged Russian raids on their houses in Ma’raba in Dara’a, Syria on June 30th, 2018 according to local sources.

Step Agency said “The killing of 14 civilians, including two women and wounding others as a result of Russian and Syrian air strikes which targeted the town of Ma’araba east of Daraa.”

Journalist Mohammad Nour said “At least 17 martyrs, nine of them from a single family in the town of Ma’arba in eastern Dara’a, with Russian shelling of civilian homes as punishment for their refusal of the conditions of Russian surrender.”

Violations Documentation Center documented some names of the victims including Muhammad al-Faour, Yousef Muhmmmad al-Faour, Saeb Muhammad Faour, Ismaiel Ibrahim al-Faour, Najdat al-Matar, Hani Naji al-Masalemah, Abduallah al-Raja, Azad Basheir al-Muqdad, Abdulkarim Zunaifa, Muhammad Ali al-Foadh, Muhammad Jamal al-Abbas, Khadija al-Hamed, Abdulqader al-Dief Allah al-Ghwazi and Ahmad Ali Faour Ghazawe. 

Dara’a Martyrs page reported “The warplanes of the regime forces targeted the town of Ma’araba in the eastern countryside of Daraa with several raids, whereby in three of the raids, they targeted a house where a number of displaced persons from its basement took refuge from the military campaign launched by the regime forces in the area, and the raids caused a massacre of fifteen martyrs, including two women And two children.”

White Helmets posted saying that “There are still many remains of martyrs killed as a result of the heavy shelling that hit the eastern sector, and in turn the civil defense are collecting body parts  in the town of Ma’arba and burying them duly.”

Both Russian forces and the Syrian regime were blamed for the killing of those civilians. Mohammad Horani, Mohammad Nour and Violations Documentation Center said Russia was responsible.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Family members (2)

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown female Wife of Foa'ad killed
Age unknown male Or Muhammad Ali Al-Fedah killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 17
  • (1 woman13 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • A photo of one of the civilians allegedly killed by Russian or Syrian regime forces airstrikes in Ma'araba, Dara'a on June 30th, 2018 (via Ahmad Al Mokdad).
  • A photo of one of the civilians allegedly killed by Russian or Syrian regime forces airstrikes in Ma'araba, Dara'a on June 30th, 2018 (via Ahmad Al Mokdad).
  • A photo of one of the civilians allegedly killed by Russian or Syrian regime forces airstrikes in Ma'araba, Dara'a on June 30th, 2018 (via Ahmad Al Mokdad).
  • A photo of one of the civilians allegedly killed by Russian or Syrian regime forces airstrikes in Ma'araba, Dara'a on June 30th, 2018 (via Ahmad Al Mokdad).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Body of a civilian killed by alleged Russian or Syrian regime forces airstrikes in Ma'araba, Dara'a on June 30th, 2018 (via Ahmad Al Mokdad).

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
    14 – 17
  • (1 woman13 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3505

Incident date

June 30, 2018

Location

السهوة, al Sahwa, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Up to 19 civilians including three women and at least two Lebanese nationals were reported killed in alleged Russian forces, Iranian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Al Sahwa in Dara’a on June 30th, 2018.

Dara’a Martyrs reported that “the warplanes of the regime forces targeted Al-Sahwah town in the eastern countryside of Daraa with several raids. Also targeted with a vacuum missile a house that hosted a number of IDPs in its basement as a shelter followed with fierce missile strikes that targeted the vicinity of the shelter. The raids and the shelling led to a massacre where 19 people were killed, including five women and five children. Among the martyrs were a family of three Lebanese citizens and residents of the town of Sahwa.”

@3bdalra7man7ar said that Iranian militias participated in the attack.

Mohammad Horani, a reporter for Al aan TV said Russian forces were responsible and said “Bombing by Russian warplanes leads to two massacres in the town of Al-Sahwa and his town of Ma’arba.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

male Lebanese national killed

Family members (3)

Adult female killed
Adult male killed

Family members (3)

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Family members (4)

Adult male killed
Adult female killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 17
  • (3 women12 men)
  • 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, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Iranian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iranian Military
  • Iranian 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
    15 – 17
  • (3 women12 men)
  • 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, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3506

Incident date

July 1, 2018

Location

المسيفرة, al Massifra, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

An elderly woman was reported killed in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime forces airstrikes on Al Musayfrah in Dara’a on July 1st, 2018 according to local sources.

Hajja Aisha Muhammad Taha Al-Zoubi was reported killed. Fatima Hamidi posted on Facebook “The martyrdom of hajja Aisha Al-Muhammad in the town of Al-Musayfrah, after her body was found under the rubble.”

Local sources said that the victim was known for saying ‘Go back to God, you are all Bashars’, interpreted as criticism to the leaders of the Syrian Free Army and an urge to them to correct their deeds.

Yaqeen-Sy News reported that “The people of Houran [Dara’a] paid farewell to Aisha Muhammad Taha Al-Zoubi, known as Umm Yahya, who was born and who died in the town of Al-Musayfrah, after Russian warplanes and sectarian militias targeted her house with protection from the military campaign launched by the regime in the eastern countryside of Dara’a.”

Yaqeen-Sy News also said that the victim is a relative to a well-known scholar from Dara’a called Hasan Taha Al-Zoubi. She had a herd of sheep that she called each of them a name but the herd was later stolen. She was born in 1939, her parents died when she was a child and she had no brothers or sisters. She lived in a stone house and she never got married.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Hajja Aisha Al Mohammed, killed in airstrikes on 1st July 2018. (via We are all the child martyr Hamza Ali al Khateeb)

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 woman)
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3300

Incident date

July 1, 2018

Location

معرّبة , Ma’arba, Daraa , Syria

Airwars assessment

A single source reported 14 killed, including two women, in alleged Russian and Syrian airstrikes on the town of Maraba, east of Daraa. Step News Agency also reported the wounding of “others” in the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14
  • (2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14
  • (2 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3507

Incident date

July 1, 2018

Location

طفس, Tafas, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Four people were reported killed in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Taffas in Dara’a, Syria on July 1st, 2018.

Violations Documentation Center in Syria said that Jihad Qaseem al-Horani, Moaz Jaber al-Rebdawi, Hosain Ali al-Bardan and Mohammad Ahmad al-Natoura, all  civilians from Tafas, were killed in Russian forces or Syrian regime and affiliated militias attacks.

However, other sources said some of them were killed in the battles in the area, so likely they are not civilians. Nahla Al Qasayim posted on Facebook ” the martyrdom of Jihad Qaseem al-Horani in the battles of honor and dignity. May God accept it from the martyrs.” Also Rami Al Bardan posted “The martyrdom of the young man, Moaz Jaber al-Rebdawi in the ongoing battles in the vicinity of the city.”

@MIG29, a pro regime source said “The Syrian army bombed the militants in Tafas in Daraa countryside after they pledged allegiance to ISIS and refused reconciliation.”

@Oreint news said that Russian warplanes launched 14 raids on Tafas on July 1st, 2018.

@Zaid_Hassn tweeted “Russian aviation launches 14 intense air strikes on Tafas town in western Daraa countryside, while the Russian negotiating delegation was in the city of Busra Al-Sham.”

Saraya Dr Al Janoun posted “Hussein Ali Omar Al-Bardan Al-Qashosh was killed, after the city was targeted with a few air strikes a few minutes ago.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male A source mentioned him as combatant killed
Adult male A source mentioned him as combatant killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 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, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Jihad Qaseem al-Horani was killed in Tafas on July 1st, 2018. Some sources said he is a civilian. (Via Nahla Al Qasayim)
  • Images of Russian raids on Tafas, Dara'a on July 1st, 2018 (via @al_Hoorane).

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
    4
  • (4 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, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3509

Incident date

July 3, 2018

Location

أرمناز , Armanaz, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.084046, 36.5034 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that one child was killed, and another injured as a result of the explosion of remnants of a cluster bomb in Armanaz, northwest Idlib on July 3rd, 2018. The munitions are suspected to be the remnants of Russian or Syrian airstrikes.

Smart News stated that “local activists said the bomb exploded while a group of children were in agricultural land around the town, killing the girl immediately and injuring another child”.

According to Smart News, “Russia and Syrian regime forces have used cluster bombs and other internationally banned weapons, especially in the province of Idlib.”

@HalabTodayTV tweeted “A bomb from remnants of a previous bombing exploded, killing a child in Armanaz city in the northern Idlib countryside.”

@Step_Agency tweeted that “a child was killed and another was injured as a result of the explosion of a cluster bomb from the remnants of the regime’s shelling in the town of # Armnaz earlier.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3515

Incident date

July 5, 2018

Location

أم المياذن, Um Al Mayadhen, Dara'a , Syria

Geolocation

32.585547, 36.190245 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to ten civilians died in an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on Um Al Mayadhen on July 5th, 2018, according to sources on the ground.

@Step_Agency reported that “eight people, including a member of the Civil Defense, were killed as a result of the aerial bombardment targeting the town of Um Al Mayadhen, east of Dara’a, this morning [July 5th].”

The Syrian Human Rights Committee reported the names of nine men who were killed in the airstrikes. Huran.net wrote that in addition, an unidentified young man from Homs was also killed.

Multiple sources named Suleiman Mohammad al Maf’alani, age 30, as a victim of the strikes, stating that he was killed while performing his duties as a volunteer for Syrian Civil Defense.

According to Hamza Alshaheed, Suleiman al Maf’alani was killed “in the course of his humanitarian duty to rescue the injured and evacuate the civilians after a previous aerial bombardment of Umm Al Mayadhen.”

Furthermore, the source reported “a number of civilians” wounded, as well as “severe damage” to civilian infrastructure in the airstrikes which intensified throughout the day, “accompanied by artillery shelling and a heavy missile”.

Whereas most sources, such as @JobarNewsNet, reported Russia as the belligerent for the airstrikes, others, such as @alahmed_nasser pointed to the Syrian regime. The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male volunteer killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 10
  • (8–9 men1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Suleiman al-Mufalani, a volunteer for Syrian Civil Defense, killed while attempting to rescue civilians following a previous airstrike (via SCDdaraa)
  • Translation: "The Syrian Civil Defense introduces the volunteer martyr, "Suleiman Al-Mafalani", after he was subjected to an air strike, while performing his humanitarian duty to help the wounded and evacuate civilians, after an aerial bombardment on the town of #M_Myadhen in the eastern countryside of Daraa" (via @SyriaCivilDefe).

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
    9 – 10
  • (8–9 men1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3513

Incident date

July 5, 2018

Location

درعا‎, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

An unknown number of civilians was reportedly injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on neighbourhoods in Dara’a city on July 5th, 2018, according to Step Agency.

Step News reported that “Russian warplanes intensified raids since the morning on the liberated neighbourhoods of the city of Dar’aa and the towns of Naseeb and Um Al Mayathen in the eastern countryside of Dara’a, leaving wounded and serious damage.” The source did not verify whether the wounded fell specifically in Dara’a city.

@HadiAlabdallah tweeted that “Russian warplanes are intensifying its shelling on the liberated areas of Dara’a and launching airstrikes on the town of Naseeb and Al Naima, east of Dara’a, the city of Tafas, west of Dara’a, and the neighbourhoods of the Dara’a country.” The source did not mention civilian casualties, hence the civilian harm status of this incident is graded as weak.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]