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

RS922

Incident date

June 19, 2016

Location

Castello Road, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.25784, 37.15199 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reported killed in airstrikes on the Al Castello Road north of Aleppo city, according to local media – though it is unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that a media activist and IT Engineering student at the Free Aleppo University died in suspected Russian warplane strikes on Castello Road.

However, according to Syrian Press Center, the regime was responsible. The source said that aircraft targeted Castello road with ‘dozens of barrels’ and ‘explosive stereochemistry rockets’.

Multiple other sources referred to ‘warplanes’ and ‘helicopters’ but did not identify them.

Only the Syrian Network for Human Rights attributed the bombardment to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Mohammad Jawad
22/23 years old male IT Engineering student and media activist killed
Muhammad Hisham Mjos
51 years old male killed
Mohammed Adib/Ahmed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 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

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Mahmoud Mohammad Jawad an IT Engineering student died in alleged Russian raids (via SN4HR)
  • "Regime aircraft targeted dozens of barrels and explosive rockets stereochemistry since morning Castello Road road north of the city of Aleppo" (via Syrianpc)

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 June 1st – 31st 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
  • (3 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

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS921

Incident date

June 19, 2016

Location

كفر ناها, Kafr Naha, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1658391, 36.9767189 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian woman was reported dead after Russian warplanes allegedly attacked the Kafr Naha neighbourhood.

A reporter writing for Smart news said that “the woman was killed and her child injured along with seven other civilians” when “Russian warplanes targeted a town in the western countryside Kafr Naha”, using “stereochemistry missiles and cluster bombs”.

RadioAlKul tweeted that there were “dead and wounded after Russian air raids” targeted Kafr Naha, whilst Abarah news also cited “Russian aviation” as the actors.

Other sources have described ‘warplanes’ but they have not identified them.

According to shaged_alep on Twitter, the strikes hit the backpacker association in Kafr Naha, where the female civilian was killed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khadija Mahmoud
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Khadija Mahmoud is listed @ 0’26” (Youtube by Halab Tv Today)

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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS920

Incident date

June 19, 2016

Location

أورم الكبرى, Urma al Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1475457, 36.9448239 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and three civilians including two children died in an airstrike on Urma al Kubra, according to local media.

The majority of sources including RadioAlKul and QasiounNewsAR blamed Russia. Other sources such as Alburak News have not identified the planes, though they said that “cluster bombs” had been used in the attack.

The two children (pictured below) were not named.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Victims listed @0’26” (Youtube by Halab Tv Today)
  • Explosion following shelling on Urma Al Kubra (via NabdSyria)

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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS919

Incident date

June 19, 2016

Location

الأبزيمو, Al Ibzimo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1666667, 36.8666667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple sources reported the death of five children in Al Ibzimo town, Aleppo, though the highest number recorded dead is eight civilians in a article by futureTv news. Most sources blamed Russia, though there was also an allegations against the Assad regime.

Both the Syrian Network for Human Rights and Shaam News Network said Russia was responsible for the attacks.

SNN reported that activists in the area said that Russian warplanes were ‘targeting civilian houses’ using ‘cluster bombs which led to the martyrdom of five children from one family’. The source said that the victims’ bodies had been “transformed to shreds”.

The White Helmets posted photographs of the rescue operation including attempts to extinguish fires.

According to Blog.amin, the five victims were a “mother and her four children”. A number of other sources also referred to “children” or “siblings”.

Names of the victims were announced in a Halab TV Youtube video, the ages given on the video suggest that the five were in fact siblings rather than mother and children.

A Tweet by ShehabAgency reported the use of phosphorous bombs.

While the majority of sources attributed the event to Russia, or didn’t identify the culprit, Jisrtv alleged that the regime was to blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Tahani Ahmad Khaloussi
18 years old killed
Fatima Ahmad Khaloussi
15 years old female killed
Wissal Khaloussi
14 years old killed
Alaa Khaloussi
6 years old killed
Jana Khaloussi
5 years old killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 8
  • (5–7 children1 woman)
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Rescue operation at Al Ibzimo (via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • White Helmets put out blaze following air raids (via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • White Helmets put out fires after air raids on Al Ibzimo (via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • White Helmets put out blaze at Al Ibzimo (via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • Names of children alleged killed listed @ 1’33” (Youtube via Halab Tv Today)
  • A body is carried through the destruction on Al Ibizmo following suspected Russian raids - image also published on incident at Kherbat al Emeqeya June 25th , therefore uncertain of legitimacy (via SN4HR)
  • Aftermath of raids on Al Ibzimo (via Jisrtv)
  • "killed six children from one family by the bombing of Russian warplanes town Al Ibzimo Bgartin strikes with cluster bombs have turned their bodies to pieces, in addition to a large destruction and fires in the houses of civilians and their property" (via Baladi)
  • "The martyrs and the wounded due to the bombing of the Regime for the village of Al Ibzimo countryside Aleppo" (Youtube by Jisrtv)

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 June 1st – 31st 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 – 8
  • (5–7 children1 woman)
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS918

Incident date

June 19, 2016

Location

الثورة‎, Al-Thawrah (Tabaqah), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.8295049, 38.5360909 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A major civilian casualty event took place on al Tabaqa city in the Ar Raqqah countryside, reportedly killing at least six civilians and wounding as many as 40, including women and children. Sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

Wwalfwasel reported that “more than 40 people” were killed, however this figure is much higher than the majority of other sources.

A Tweet by theofficemedia described the raid as a ‘very intense bombardment’ in which rockets and cluster bombs were used by warplanes.

Syrian Press Center blamed Moscow, as did LCCSY and Qasioun news.

According to Qasioun, most of those killed were women and children.

According to Alsouria, al Tabaqa was under the control of so-called Islamic State, they alleged through working together the regime and Russia have caused considerable material damage in the area and many have been killed in order to regain control.

Shahed-ayan has also news blamed Moscow for the airstrikes, which they reported to have killed sixteen, wounded thirty and caused ‘big material damage in residential buildings’.

However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights referred to both Russian warplanes and regime helicopters operating in the area. Syrian News and Zamanalwasl also blamed the regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Daasha Osbkiat Nsorna
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 40
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–35
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Tabaqa, June 19th (via Alsouria)
  • An airstrike on Tabaqa, June 19th (via Syrian Press Center)
  • Suspected Russian fighter jets attack the town of al Tabaqa, Ar Raqqahh (via Qasioun)
  • "clashes between the regime forces and elements of the "Islamic State" (Daesh) near the oil revolution field" (via Syrian News)
  • Aftermath following alleged bombs on residential areas in al Tabaqa countryside (via Zamanalwal news)
  • Smoke rises on the city of al Tabaqa following airstrikes (via Shahed-ayan)

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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 40
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30–35
  • 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

RS917

Incident date

June 18, 2016

Location

كفر حمرة, Kafr Hamra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.255362, 37.087714 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple sources, including LCCSY, and a video by Halab TV, reported a female civilian was killed in raids on Kafr Hamra.

Umayyapress news reported that ‘more than two dozen airstrikes’ took place on Kafr Hamra, and pointed to both the regime and Russia.

In a facebook post by LCCSY Russian action was also directly blamed for this strike the resultant loss of a civilian life.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published a report that connected this attack to warplane bombings, but did not identify the plane.

According to Syrian Press Center, bombs dropped contained phosphorous, though the source didn’t say who fired them.

In addition to the civilian death, RadioAlKul reported that five non-combatants were wounded in the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Zeineb Shihada
18 years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • List of martyrs for June 18th, Zeinab Shehada listed @1:08 (Youtube by Halab Tv Today)

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 June 1st – 31st 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 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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

RS916

Incident date

June 18, 2016

Location

حريتان, Al Harameis, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three or four children died following airstrikes on Al Harmeis, Hraitan city, Aleppo governorate. There are contradictions in the sources obtained as some alleged that the regime was responsible; moreover, a significant number of reports did not apportion blame.

Later reports said the death toll rose to four children, while Syrian Press Center alleged eight wounded in addition to those killed – it cited Russia as the culprit.

“Assad’s helicopters” and  “explosive barrel bombs” were cited by local sources, including Nabd. The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed missiles from regime warplanes.

A total of five sources held Moscow responsible for the attack.

A number of other sources did not identify a culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Omer Bilal Amour Suliman 
Child male killed
Fatima Mohammad Nabhan
Child female killed
Iman Hosain Omer
Child female killed
Bilal Suleiman
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (3–4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Russian strikes on Hraitan city (via Syrianpc)
  • Civilians flee following alleged barrel bomb attack (via Nabd News)

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 June 1st – 31st 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 – 4
  • (3–4 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS915

Incident date

June 18, 2016

Location

الهزيمة, Al Hazimah, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

36.1320519, 38.9661026 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died at midday on June 18th, after incurring injuries from alleged Russian airstrikes on Hazima village, northern Ar Raqqah, local media reported.

Baladi News said that the man died, “as a result of military aviation targeting al Hazima  village” in the midst of “great destruction in the region”.

Though Baladi did not specify that the planes were Russian other sources such  as LCCSY and Nabd News attributed the event to Russia.

This is the only information we have on this civilian casualty incident at present.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Nour Ahmad al Hamidi
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Mohammad Mour Ahmad al Hamidi killed following alleged Russian strikes (via RBSS)
  • "Warplanes row bundle al Hazima of the village in the countryside of northern Ar Raqqahh" (via Ar-Raqqahh-post Youtube)

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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]