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

RS1303

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

جزمتي, Jazmati neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.196287, 37.199106 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, LCCSY, reported an unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes on Aleppo’s Jazmati neighbourhood.

@naifaleidi and @HalabTodayTV also reported Russian strike on Jazmati but made no mention of civilian harm.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1304

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

مارجا, Marja neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1855676, 37.1802235 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians died in an alleged Russia or Assad regime airstrike on Aleppo’s Marja neighbourhood, according to local media.

LCCSY said Russia carried out strikes, though Al Jazeera reported that seven civilians were killed in regime strikes “in the neighborhoods of Sukkari Mashhad Marjeh and Salhin.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS1305

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

الصالحين, Al Salhin neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807701, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians died and seven were wounded in an alleged Russia or Assad regime airstrike on Aleppo’s Al Salhin neighbourhood, according to local media.

LCCSY said Russia carried out strikes, though Aljazeera reported that seven civilians were killed in regime strikes “in the neighborhoods of Sukkari Mashhad Marjeh and Salhin.”

But Free Syria TV reported injuries, not fatalities: “seven were  wounded as a result of the bombing of the # Russian warplanes on the neighborhood of Al Salhin  in Aleppo”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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

RS1301

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

مسكنة, Maskanah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.963172, 38.035655 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Russian or Assad regime warplanes killed one civilian, a young man, and wounded two others on the road outside the Maskana souk, Aleppo, local reports alleged.

“Airstrikes also targeted the main highway near Bado neighbourhood and the entrance to the souq of Maskana city in the eastern suburbs where a young man was martyred and others were injured,” said an LCCSY Facebook post. Other sources corroborated this report: @HalabTodayTV, @RadioAlKul, @ALAMAWI, and Step News all ran reports using similar language.

Most reports did not state the identity of the warplanes, but LCCSY and the Smart News Agency said the planes were Russian.

However, Radio Alkul said that the regime was responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

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
    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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1302

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

الميسر, Al Maysar, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.212011, 37.171227 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes on Aleppo’s Al Maysar neighbourhood, according to local media.

Al Jazeera reported that seven civilians were killed in regime strikes “in the neighborhoods of Sukkari Mashhad Marjeh and Salhin.”

But LCCSY said that Russia also carried out strikes resulting in an unspecified number of dead and wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1300

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

حي الكلاسة, Al Kalassa (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1923129, 37.1477151 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes in the neighborhood of al Kalassa, Aleppo, killed at least seven members of one family, local sources reported. The death toll may have been as high as 27, with sources reporting at least three children and three women dead, and photographs circulating of a father holding his dead son. LCCSY reported that phosphorus was used, and several reports mentioned barrel bombs.

It was unclear who was to blame for the strikes. Some reported that “Russian warplanes” were responsible: Smart News, Sawaleif News, Almadinah, @ALAMAWI, LCCSY, and SN4HR all used the language. However, Arab48 mentioned helicopters at the scene, suggesting regime involvement.

Reports on the number of casualties varied, but most sources referred to seven dead from a single family. Qasioun News stated, “14 civilians were killed in the neighbourhood of al Kalassa,” while Arab48 and Sawaleif referred to 27 dead in total across three neighbourhoods. @step_agency tweeted that nine were killed.

According to SN4HR, the strikes were carried out in the vicinity of “Ghajar’s Chicken” shop.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 27
  • (3 children3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Aleppo White Helmets trying to extinguish the fire in the chaotic aftermath of the contested strikes on al-Kalassa (via White Helmets)
  • The neighborhood of al-Kalassa was targeting by airstrikes carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via LCCSY)
  • The contested airstrikes targeting al-Kalassa left parts of the city completely destroyed (via White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 27
  • (3 children3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1299

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

حي بستان القصر, Bustan al Qasr (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19569, 37.14229 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Major strikes in Bustan al Qasr, Aleppo, on September 22nd which killed between five and 13 civilians, and wounded dozens more, were attributed to both regime forces and Russia aircraft by local media. Local sources identified five civilian victims, including two children.

Many reports stated that barrel bombs and phosphorus were used in the attack, leading to large fires.

According to a Syria News Desk post on Facebook, “four civilians were killed and more than a dozen others injured, some of them seriously, at dawn today [Sept 22nd], a result of Russian warplanes using mostly rockets loaded with phosphorous bombs on the neighbourhood of Bustan al Qasr.

Majid Alragi, one of the residents of the neighbourhood, told Syria News desk, “The wounded were taken to a field hospital in the region,” pointing out that civil defence teams extinguished a portion of the blaze, which burned some residential buildings, shops and cars, after working more than five hours while fire gutted three buildings.

Rescue workers attempting to put out the fire were reportedly limited by snipers stationed in the vicinity.

Other sources corroborated this account but claimed a higher number of civilian casualties. @eldorar1, @Daretezzamedia, and @24Aleppo tweeted that four civilians were killed, but reports from Orient News, Smart News, Dostor, and Youm7 suggested the number of dead ranged from 10 to 13.

DW News stated that among the dead were at least three children and three women.

Most sources alleged that the bombs and phosphorus were used in between 12 and 14 separate drops on the same location.

Al Jazeera and Orient News pointed to “a squadron of Russian aircraft”, while other sources referred to “Assad’s planes.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Muhannad Makhzoom
Adult male killed
Ayham Makhzoum
14 years old female daughter of Muhannad Makhzoom killed
Hana Makhzoom
5 months years old female daughter of Muhannad Makhzoom killed

The victims were named as:

Fatoun Ajabula
25 years old female killed
Hana Osman
50 years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 13
  • (2–3 children2–3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (30) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • News report about among others, the contested airstrikes on the neighborhood Bustan al Qasr, Aleppo (Al An TV)
  • Allegedly Russian or Syrian airstrikes targeted Bustan al Qasr area, Aleppo (via AlMajhar News)
  • Muhannad Makhzoom was reportedly one of the victims of the contested aerial bombardment on Bustan al Qasr, Aleppo (via Baladi Network)
  • Girl being rescued by the civil defence following the contested airstrikes targeting Bustan al Qasr, Aleppo(via Jsirtv)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 13
  • (2–3 children2–3 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (30) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1298

Incident date

September 22, 2016

Location

حي السكري, Sukkari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.17594, 37.14111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, at least four and as many as 11 civilians were killed, with dozens more wounded, in alleged Russia or Assad regime airstrikes on the al Sukkari neighborhood in Aleppo.

Some sources attributed the strikes to regime helicopters, while others accused Russian aircraft. Al Sukkari had been bombed relentlessly over the prior week, making it difficult to distinguish between strikes. Among the casualties were at least three men and a woman dead, and at least one child wounded.

Most sources claimed five dead. For instance, the RFS Media Office tweeted that two barrel bombs dropped on al Sukkari killed five martyrs. Alwatan News reported the same figure, and referred to civilians still trapped under the rubble. A six-storey building was completely destroyed in the strikes, according to Alayam News.

@SRG_Syria, however, tweeted that seven were killed, and according to Akhbaralaan News eleven died with 37 more wounded.

@ALAMAWI tweeted a photograph of a child wounded in the bombings.

Most reports blamed the regime, but a couple mentioned both regime helicopters and Russian aircraft.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 11
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–37
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Civilians in the rubble in the aftermath of the contested strikes targeting Sukkari neighborhood, Aleppo (via Smart News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured girl receiving treatment following the contested strikes on Sukkari neighborhood, Aleppo (via ALAMAWI)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 11
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–37
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]