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

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
Official source

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
Official source

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]

Incident Code

RS1297

Incident date

September 21, 2016

Location

Al Maysar, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians were killed in the al Maysar neighbourhood of Aleppo following heavy air strikes with cluster bombs, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russian warplanes or regime helicopters were to blame.

@ShahbaPress, @Step_Agency, SNN, and @ALAMAWI all tweeted that one civilian was “martyred” in the strikes.

Alsharq said that cluster bombs were used, as did @shahed_alep and the Shaam News Network (SNN). The SNN report mentioned that phosphorus was used in other strikes that day in Aleppo, but was unclear on whether it was used specifically in al Maysar.

According to Alsharq, “many explosive barrels” (a weapon used by the Assad regime) were dropped on al Maysar on this day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • 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 (12) [ 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 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 – 3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1296

Incident date

September 21, 2016

Location

حي المشهد, Al Mashad (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1834027, 37.1369648 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that one to three civilians died and as many as ten more were wounded in an airstrike on Aleppo’s Al Mashad neighbourhood. This event looks to have been carried out by helicopters belong to the Assad regime. There were no allegations against Russia, though some sources referred to unidentified “warplanes”.

Photographs from @RFS_North and @step_agency showed extensive building damage, and a Step News Agency video depicted one body being pulled out of the rubble.

@AleppoAMC tweeted about an unspecified number of wounded “after regime helicopters struck with four explosive barrels.” Step News claimed two barrel bombs were dropped.

At least one child was wounded, according to @baladinetwork.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Footage of the mass destruction of buildings al Mashhad, Aleppo, caused by airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia (via Baladi News)
  • Footage of the mass destruction of buildings al Mashhad, Aleppo, caused by airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia (via Baladi News)
  • White Helmets rescuing civilians out from under the rubble, following the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via White Helmets)
  • Civilians in the aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via Step News)
  • Civilians in the aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via Step News)
  • Civilians in the aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via Step News)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by either the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via RFS_NORTH)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by either the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via RFS_NORTH)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by either the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via RFS_NORTH)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes on the city of al-Mashad (via Step News Agency)

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 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 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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

RS1295

Incident date

September 21, 2016

Location

قاضي عسكر, Qadi Askar, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2025, 37.17361111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and four civilians were killed, and up to seven wounded, in an airstrike on  Qadi Askar, Aleppo, local sources reported – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russian warplanes or regime helicopters were to blame.

On September 22nd, aircraft pummeled several neighbourhoods in Aleppo. Smart News reported “four civilians were killed, and seven others injured” by barrel bombs dropped by regime helicopters. @RadioAlKul also stated that barrel bombs were used.

@RFS_NORTH tweeted that the casualties were “one martyr and a number of wounded,” while @Shahed_alep referenced three dead and an unknown number of wounded. Smart News and Baladi News both pinned the number of dead at four.

According to Islammemo and a Shaam News Network update, both helicopters and planes were involved in the attack, suggesting that Russian and regime forces were coordinated.

@Shahbapress accused the regime of carrying out the strikes, as did @RFS_NORTH, @Shahed_alep and Smart News.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

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 – 4
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1294

Incident date

September 21, 2016

Location

المواصلات, Al Mowasalat, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2188989, 37.2510338 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and five civilians were killed, including two children, after airstrikes allegedly waged by the regime or Russia, pummeled the al Mowasalat neighbourhood of Aleppo, local media reported. More civilians were trapped under rubble.

Several sorties were flown over Aleppo, and according to Islammemo “both planes and helicopters” were involved. Sources agreed that it was a “long bombardment,” per FocusAleppo News.

Baladi News said the warplanes struck several civilian homes in the liberated neighbourhoods.

@RadioAlKul tweeted that five civilians were killed, and more trapped under rubble, by regime warplanes. According to the Shaam News Network, these raids may have involved phosphorus and cluster munitions as well as rockets.

Photographs from Shehab Agency showed one body being carried out of a destroyed home, and a child being helped out.

Local media assessments of the number of dead varied: on September 21st, HalabTodayTV and the Syrian Network for Human Rights said at least three were dead. Most reports from that day claimed five dead, as did an Orient News report on the 22nd.

Alyemen reported that the bodies of two children were retrieved from the site.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children)
  • 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]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the contested strikes targeting Al Mowasalat neighborhood, Aleppo (via Smart News)
  • Civil defense in the midst of the rubble caused by the contested aerial bombardment of the neighborhood Al Mowasalat, Aleppo (Thiqa News Agency)
  • Civil defense in the midst of the rubble caused by the contested aerial bombardment of the neighborhood Al Mowasalat, Aleppo (Thiqa News Agency)
  • Civil defense in the midst of the rubble caused by the contested aerial bombardment of the neighborhood Al Mowasalat, Aleppo (Thiqa News Agency)
  • Civilians are being rescued from under the rubble following the contested airstrikes on al-Mowasalat, Aleppo (via Shehab Agency)

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 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
    3 – 5
  • (2 children)
  • 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

RS1293

Incident date

September 21, 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

Between four and five civilians died in the al Sukkari neighbourhood of Aleppo when a six-storey residential building was destroyed, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russian airstrike or regime artillery or helicopters were to blame. Several sources alleged that Russian used phosphorus bombs in the attack.

The Shaam News Network referred to “four dead and several wounded,” while @syria_pulse mentioned five dead, and said that two people were still trapped under rubble as of noon on September 21st.

Aawsat News said that after midnight, shelling destroyed the residential building completely.

Some sources, such as @thiqanewsagency, referenced both “shelling with rockets” and “barrel bombs”. Alquds and Al Jazeera echoed that language.

@RFS_NORTH tweeted that regime helicopters dropped barrel bombs, as did the Step News Agency.

But several independent sources claimed that Russian warplanes were involved. Smart News said the warplanes dropped phosphorus, as did @Syriapost1.

@HalabNEwsN also said the Russian planes dropped cluster bombs.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the contested strikes in al-Sukkari, Aleppo (via Thiqa News Agency)

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 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 – 5
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1292

Incident date

September 21, 2016

Location

الفردوس, Al Fardous (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.180995, 37.151892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A young girl named Qamar was killed by alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes in the al Ferdos neighborhood of Aleppo, according to local media. Sources also reported further civilians trapped under the rubble.

Qasioun and Halab news blamed Russia, but most others were silent on the identity of those responsible.

@Shahed_alep tweeted, “warplanes aimed at the neighborhoods of Al Mashad, Salahuddin and Al Fardous with heavy machine guns.”

@AleppoAMC tweeted that two barrel bombs were used, while Shahid-ayan pointed directly to “shelling by Assad”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Qamar
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Multiple sources reported that the girl named Qatar was killed in airstrikes in Al Fardous neighborhood, Aleppo (via Shahed_Alep tweet)

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 September 1st – 30th 2016.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]