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

RS1132

Incident date

August 12, 2016

Location

منطقة المتحف وسوق الهال, Souq al Hal, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.945833, 39.016667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and six civilians died and as many as dozens more were wounded in airstrikes on Souq al-Hal near the town of Orme al-Kubra, according to local media – though it was unclear whether Russia or the regime were responsible for the casualties.

The Smart News Agency and All4syria for among sources blaming Russia. Most reports put the death toll at six civilians. However, some other sources referred to raids by the regime and Russia. The Shaam News Network said that the strikes had killed four civilians in Souq al-Hal and injured dozens more.

According to @b6gmQHK3rV6HtT, there were nine strikes near Souq al-Hal.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad al Mhaimid al Ammar
Adult It reported they were killed in Orme – though Orme is close to Souq al-Hal, suggesting this is the same incident. killed
Mohammad Ahmad Hilal
Adult male It reported they were killed in Orme – though Orme is close to Souq al-Hal, suggesting this is the same incident. killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ahmad Ali Mhaimid al-Ammar, killed in an alleged raid. (via, VDC)
  • Ahmad Ali Mhaimid al-Ammar, killed in an alleged raid. (via, VDC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged raid on a popular market. (via, Step)
  • The aftermath of an alleged raid on a popular market. (via, b6gmQHK3rV6HtT)

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 August 12th – 13th 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 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1456

Incident date

October 15, 2016

Location

اللطامنة, Ltamenah, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3219885, 36.6234398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five or six civilians civilians including a 20-day-old girl and a boy aged six months died and dozens more were wounded in an airstrike and/or artillery strike on a medical centre in Al Latamna, according to sources on the ground. The majority of reports blamed Russia, though two pointed to the Assad regime. Victims reportedly included people being treated at the facility and medical staff.

LCCSY, was among sources that put the death toll at five, and said that Russia was responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights didn’t identify the culprit, but reported that an “an aerial bombardment targeted a medical centre belonging to a humanitarian organisation in al-Latamina, killing two families including a man with his wife and child, and another woman with her child”.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that ” government warplanes (allies) missiles fired on medical centre in Al Latamena city in Hama governorate, causing a massacre, damaging in the building and equipment of the center and rendering it inoperable”.

RFS media centre also blamed the regime, while @SRV_News said that heavy regime artillery, located in Deir Mharda, had shelled Al Latamna.

The highest death toll, of six civilians, was given by Syrian Press Center.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Imad Dirar Aliwi (Abdul Latif)
35 years old male named by Hamanews killed
Jumana Haitham Al – Mahmoud
28 years old female a writer, named by Hamanews killed

Family members (2)

Aisha Mohammed Eid Al-Ali
32 years old female named by Hamanews killed
Bian Samer Al-Ali
20 days old years old female daughter of the Aisha, named by Hamanews killed

The victims were named as:

Dirar Imad Aliawi
6 months years old male named by Hamanews killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (2 children2 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic footage showing the victims of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid, including children. (via Syrianpc)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing the wreckage in the aftermath of the alleged raid. Pools of blood can be seen inside damaged civilian homes. (via AlHadath)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic footage showing the victims of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid, including children. (via Mahmoud AlHamwi)
  • Aftermath of the alleged raid. (via RayaMediaNet)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A baby killed in the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raids on Ltamenah. (via RayaMediaNet)

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 October 1st – 19th 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 – 6
  • (2 children2 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1625

Incident date

November 18, 2016

Location

حي الصاخور, Al Sakhour, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2179122, 37.1892357 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four to six civilians were killed, and up to 24 were wounded in alleged air and artillery strikes on Al Sakhour, Aleppo.

Some sources attributed blame to Russian warplanes, while others blamed the Syrian regime. However, one source blamed both belligerents for this airstrike.

There was confusion among sources as to the type of bomb used for this raid. One source claimed that poisonous chloride gas was used, in continuation of raids on other parts of Aleppo earlier on in the day.

However, some sources have also reported that high explosive missiles were used in the aerial bombardment of the vicinity. Similarly, the term “parachute missile” was used by multiple sources. One source even reported that artillery rockets and air rockets were used in the raid.

Reports claim that civilian homes were seriously damaged in the airstrikes.

Muheet reported that “The Al-Sakhour neighbourhood was hit by rocket and artillery fire by the forces of the regime, resulting in civilian casualties and destruction of their homes and properties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of alleged air and artillery strikes on Al Sakhour, Aleppo, 18th November 2016. (via @mo3taz891)

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 November 1st – 30th 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.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 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 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1841

Incident date

January 16, 2017

Location

عنيق باجرة , Aneek Bajra village, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.290311, 37.286138 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five or six civilians – a woman and her children – died in an alleged Russia or regime airstrike on Aneek Bajra village in eastern Hama, according to sources on the ground,

The Syrian Network for Human Rights was among sources blaming the regime, reporting: “Six civilians (a woman and her five children) died when Syrian regime warplanes (allies) missiles fired on Anaiq Bajerra village in Hama governorate eastern suburbs, January 16, 2017.”

However, other sources including the Step News Agency, the Violations Documentation Center (who named five victims) and the Shaam News Network (SNN) attributed the event to Russia.

According to SNN, “Russian warplanes targeted the village of Aneek Bajra in the-eastern side of the  province of Hama, causing an appalling massacre against children and their mother, and destroying several residential buildings in the area.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Abd al-Hamid Abd al-Sattar al-Mostafa
Child male killed
Abd al-Majeed Abd al-Sattar al-Mostafa
Child male killed
Mohammad Abd al-Sattar al-Mostafa
Child male killed
Fatima Abd al-Sattar al-Mostafa
Child female killed
Soria Ahmad al-Rashed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (4–5 children1 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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (4–5 children1 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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS034

Incident date

October 10, 2015

Location

التمانعة, Al Tamani'ah, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.457626, 36.750314 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians from one family, including a child and two women, were reported killed after an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Tamaanah. Two people were injured. The dead were later listed by the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

Local media activist Abdul Kader Al Bakri told the Network: “This time we traced a Russian radio frequency. Al Tamanaa’ town is under the control of An-Nusra Front, Ajnad Al Sham, Jund Al Aqsa, Faylaq Al Sham, and Ahrar Al Sham, however, the targeted house and its surrounding region were civilian areas that did not have any military presence in it.”

Ma’ara Media Centre also carried an eyewitness interview with an off-camera male who insisted the attack was Russian and had killed five of his close relatives: “I was in the village. I had come to see my family. I parked the car a distance away and got out. I saw my father looking up at the plane and my mother was shouting ‘get out get out the plane is going to hit us’ I told her it’s okay I’ll take you away. As I started approaching the bomb struck and it happened. My father was killed and my aunt, may God have mercy on them and my brother Mohammad and Badrieh and Abdo and Ahmad. The whole family was martyred.”

However, Smart News said the regime perpetrated the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Salah Al Shehnaa
Adult male 50 years old killed
Hind Mohamad Al Soussi
Adult female Salah's 48 year old sister killed
Mohammad Al Shehnaa
Adult male Salah's 28 year old son killed
Badreya Salah Al Shehnaa
Adult female Salah's 28 or 29 year old daughter killed
Abdo Salah Al Shehnaa
Child male Salah's 11 year old son killed
Ahmad Salah Al Shehnaa
Child male Salah's 5 year old son killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (1–2 children2 women2 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Interview with one of the survivors from the family listing the names of the victims. His father, aunt, and 4 siblings. At Tamani'ah, 10th October 2015. (via, Maara Media Centre) 10/10/2015]
  • An image shows the civil defence tending to one of the injured victims of the strike on the town, At Tamani'ah, 10th October 2016. (via SN4HR)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Tamani’ah (التمانعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.457626, 36.750314. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (1–2 children2 women2 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS066

Incident date

October 21, 2015

Location

أبو خنادق, Abu al Khanadak, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.406795, 37.199541 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six people were killed – including four women – following an alleged Russian strike on civilian homes at Abu al Khanadak. The dead were later named by VDC.

Images obtained by Shaam showed significant damage at the site.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Tamader Mohammad Abd al-Qader al-Dandan
Adult female killed

Family members (1)

Faten Ahmad Abd al-Qader al-Dandan
Adult female killed

Family members (1)

Abd al-Hai Ahmad Abd al-Qader al-Dandan
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Radwan Rajab Al Mohamad
Adult male killed
Zaeilah Faraj al Yousef
Adult female killed
Najmeh Hosain al-Khaled
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (4 women2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Rescuers at scene of alleged Russian strike at Abuu, Oct 21 2015 (via SNN)
  • Rescuers at scene of alleged Russian strike at Abuu, Oct 21 2015 (via SNN)
  • Rescuers at scene of alleged Russian strike at Abuu, Oct 21 2015 (via SNN)
  • Photos from SNN of the aftermath of the bombing of Russian planes of civiian homes in Abu Al Khanadeq in the eastern countryside.

Geolocation notes (7) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that up to six people were killed in an airstrike in the village of Abu al Khanadak (أبو خنادق) in Hama. After investigating visual material from sources, we narrowed this location down to a compound on the northwest outskirts of the village, for which the exact coordinates are: 35.406795, 37.199541.

  • Image from scene showing dense trees adjacent to building targeted in strike.

    Imagery:
    SNN

  • The groups of trees marked B, C, and D are progressively farther away from the viewpoint of the camera.

    Imagery:
    SNN

  • Although it's barely visible, the features marked F is a road leading away from the village.

    Imagery:
    SNN

  • The dense trees adjacent to the targeted building and the concrete roof are seen here in a satellite image.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Satellite imagery shows the trees from the on-the-ground photo in a staggered pattern.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • The road barely visible in the witness image is seen here in an overhead shot. The compound targeted in the strike is to the bottom left of the red box.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Satellite image showing a close-up of the home targeted in the strike.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed carrying out strikes in Hama governorate for October 21st-22nd 2015: “For the last 24 hours, the Russian Su-34, Su-24M, Su-25SM aircraft performed 53 combat sorties engaging 72 terrorist facilities in the Hama, Idlib, Lattakia, Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (4 women2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2475

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

جرجناز, Jarjanaz, Syria

Geolocation

35.617076, 36.783132 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mother and four children were killed in their home as alleged Russian or Syrian regime forces struck the town of Jarjanaz.

The death of a sixth civilian was also reported. Those killed included the woman’s grandson, according to local sources. At least five others were injured.

Three “space rockets” hit the town through the night, according to Step News. Akhbar News said the destruction of civilian houses and the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq mosque was due to rocket-propelled grenades.

Activists told Smart News that the house of Hossam Salama, a leader of the al-Ahrar-al-Sham Islamist Movement was damaged but he was not hurt.

The Civil Defense worked to retrieve the dead, transferring the wounded to the nearest medical point.

The incident occured after midnight.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (1–4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Raids destroyed multiple buildings
    http://archive.fo/PDw0x
  • White Helmets in the wreckage
    https://twitter.com/SyrianCoalition/status/910482006928232450
  • A mother and four children died in their their home
    https://twitter.com/HadiAlabdallah/status/910456922117169153
  • Translation: 'Russian aviation targets residential areas in the town of # Jarjanaz countryside Idlib leaving martyrs and wounded'
  • Translation: 'The martyrdom of four children and their child after the Assad regime's flight targeting their home this morning in # Gergnaz countryside # Idlib'
  • Translation: 'Painful scenes of the horrific massacre committed by Russian airliners in the town of Jarjanaz in the countryside of Idlib'
  • Further footage of the aftermath of the strike on Jarjanaz, Sept 20th 2017.
  • A news report on the strike on Jarjanaz, Sept 20th 2017.

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
    4 – 6
  • (1–4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS452

Incident date

January 23, 2016

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians including one woman and her five children were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Bab, according to local sources.

In a news roundup, the Shaam News Network reported that “Russian enemy planes carried out raids on Al Bab, the town of Baza’aa, the village of Qasr al Buraij, and a farm near the town of Kabassin, which led to the fall of many martyrs and the wounded.“

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that one woman and her five children died when “suspected” Russian warplanes fired missiles fired on a farm near Al Bab city.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (5 children1 woman)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 25th January, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last three days, January 22-24, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic performed 169 combat sorties engaging 484 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure…crews of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed 18 combat sorties from the territory of the Russian Federation in order to engage manpower and hardware of the ISIS near Deir ez-Zor on January 22-24. Flight range reached more than 2,000 kilometers.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (5 children1 woman)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]