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

RS860

Incident date

June 6, 2016

Location

الشحيل, Al Shuhail, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.0915407, 40.4523468 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and six civilians including at least two children and one woman died in a airstrike on Al Shuhail, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently put the death toll at six. Some of their reports referred only to “warplanes”, however, two later reports identified them as Russian.

The Shaam News Network blamed Russia, putting the death toll at six and a number of wounded. They also said that dozens of sheep had been killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 37 civilians, including 11 children and seven women died when an aerial bombardment “targeted al-Ashara and al-Shehel in addition to other areas of Der-Ezzor western countryside”. It did not say who was responsible.

Other sources, including Halab Today and Euphrates Post, documented raids but didn’t identify the warplanes.

However, JFLDZ blamed the regime, putting the death toll at three including one woman.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mrs. Tamador Abd al Ghaffour al Hattab
Age unknown female killed
Khaldiya Ibrahim al Khudar
Age unknown female killed
Wassim al Hussein al Hafi
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • "more than 25 martrys in Al-A’shara and dozens of wounded in Russian shelling and a massacre in Al-Shaheel" (Tweet by @SyrianRevolutin)

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 – 6
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS859

Incident date

June 6, 2016

Location

‏العشارة‬, Al Asharah, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.92, 40.56 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 17 and 35 civilians including eight children and two women died and up to 40 others were injured in airstrikes on a popular market and a mosque in Al Asharah town and the Al Hannoush neighbourhood, according to multiple local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was an attack by Russia or the Syrian regime.

LCCSY produced a number of brief reports, and said that the attack was carried out by warplanes thought to be Russian, putting the death toll at 22 civilians including women and children with dozens more wounded. It added that deaths included an entire family.

According to Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently, Russian warplanes struck the town with cluster bombs. It put the death toll as high as 26 non-combatants and posted an image of a funeral two allegedly deceased men.

The Shaam News Network also attributed the incident to Russia and said that 23 civilians died.

According to Baladi, the death toll was as high as 35, including eight members of one family, with another 40 injured. It blamed planes belonging to “Assad and Putin” for raids on Mansour mosque.

Media activist “Alhaji Yahya” for News Now told Akhbaralan that “regime and Russian warplanes” struck a popular market with cluster bombs, killing – among others – “four brothers who were the sons of Hussein Al-hayawi and Dawood Al-Najah and his wife and their two children“.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights didn’t say who was responsible, referring to an “aerial bombardment” on a souq which killed 17 non-combatants including and man and his wife and two of their children.

Citing the Observatory, a BBC report put the death toll at 17 including eight children,

though there was some confusion as to which party was responsible with the report saying that the UK-based Observatory had said that “Syrian government and Russian warplanes were thought to have carried out the strike”.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights said the regime was to blame, reporting that there were at least four victims including two children.

Some other sources said that it was not known whether the warplanes responsible belonged to Russia or Assad.

In a tweet by @Zenynapisajida the figure of those injured was put to 45, they alleged 13 killed including eight children from the same family.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Ahmad al Salama
Age unknown male killed
Saher Awwad al Mohammad al Abd
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 35
  • (8 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–45
  • 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 (42) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Civilians flee destruction following suspected Russian attacks on Al Ash arah ( via Alaraby)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a popular market in Al Asharah, June 5th (via Sawalif)
  • "More than 20 martyrs in Russian warplanes on Al-Asha’ara" (Youtube by Amer Howeidi)
  • "the funeral of one of the families that were killed in the cluster bombs which Russian planes fired yesterday morning" (via Deir Ezzor is being Slaughtered Silently Facebook - original page no longer available - image accessed via Airwars archive)
  • "a photo of the funeral of Mohammad Ahmad al Salama and Saher Awwad al Mohammad al Abd on Friday after they were hit by the Russian strike last Monday"(via Deir Ezzor is being Slaughtered Silently Facebook - original page no longer available - image accessed via Airwars archive)

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 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
    17 – 35
  • (8 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–45
  • 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 (42) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS858

Incident date

June 5, 2016

Location

الموحسن, Muhassan, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.2257487, 40.3109038 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Shaam News Network reported that several civilians had been killed and wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Mohassan in Deir ez-Zor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “warplanes” had carried out raids in the area, but neither identified them nor provided casualty figures.

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 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

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.

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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS857

Incident date

June 5, 2016

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.904042, 36.726111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died in an airstrike on Sarmin, according to local media – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

LCCSY reported that one civilian died and several more were injured by Russian warplanes.

Baladi was among other sources that pointed towards Russia, but provided few details.

However, according to Akhbaralan the regime was responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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 (11) [ 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 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
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS856

Incident date

June 5, 2016

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and 50 non-combatants including two women died and up to 150 more were injured in multiple airstrikes on different targets in the city of Idlib, according to local media – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

LCCSY attributed the incident to Russia, with dozens of civilians killed and wounded. It listed the struck areas as: “Shamaat roundabout, Shuaib Mosque, Amn Dawla roundabout, Yehia Dahnin school, vegetables marketplace, Mujamaa region, and Carlton Hotel.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did not initially identify the “warplanes” responsible, but said that nine civilians including two women died in “about 10 strikes targeting the Shoaib mosque area and several other areas in the city of Idlib”. It added that the death toll was expected to rise because some of the wounded were in a critical condition.

However, a subsequent SO4HR video report said that the warplanes were “believed to be Russian”.

A later report said that there had been “some 10 strikes targeting Shoaib mosque” alone.

The Shaam News Network referred only to “warplanes” carrying out “tens of strikes with cluster bombs“, putting the death toll at at least five with many more wounded.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the regime was to blame – killing three civilians when warplanes fired on a “grocery and carpet market“.

The Syrian network for Human Rights blamed the “regime and its allies”, adding that one of the targets was “Yahya Dehneen school”, with the strike partially destroys the fence”.

Syria Direct put the death toll as high as 50, with 150 others injured, though it didn’t identify the warplanes responsible. It reported that “the raids targeted civilian sites, including residential buildings and a mosque and a football stadium, in addition to the two main hospitals.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 50
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–150
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • A burnt out car on the streets of Idlib following alleged Russian airstrikes (via Orient News)
  • Destruction after alleged Russian strikes in Idlib (via Orient News)
  • Destruction after alleged Russian strikes in Idlib (via Orient News)
  • A fire blazes in the city of Idlib following an alleged Russian raid, June 5th (via LCCSY)
  • A fire blazes in the city of Idlib following an alleged Russian raid, June 5th (via LCCSY)
  • A fire blazes in the city of Idlib following an alleged Russian raid, June 5th (via LCCSY)
  • "12 raids by Russian and regime warplane on Idlib and tens of martyrs and wounded in conjunction with heavy raids in Aleppo" (Tweet by @News4Syria)
  • "Regime and its allies warplanes shelling on Yahya Dehneen school which partially destroys the fence on the 5th of June" (Tweet by @SN4HR)
  • "Video shows the destruction of Idlib in Russian warplanes. Wounded and the reporter confirm there are no militant in Idlib and they are all civilians" (Tweet by @RevolutionSyria)
  • "tens were killed and dozens wounded in shelling with cluster bombs in Idlib" (Tweet by @akhbar)
  • "7 civilians were killed in Russian raids in Idlib north of Syria" (Tweet by @aa_arabic)
  • "tens of victims in Russian aerial shelling on Idlib, Syria" (Tweet by @SMARTNewsAgency)
  • "A video by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ‪#‎SOHR‬ shows the destruction caused by bombing by warplanes believed to be Russian, which targeted areas in ‪#‎Idlib‬ city" (via SOHR Facebook)

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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 50
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–150
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS855

Incident date

June 5, 2016

Location

هورة الجريات, Horat al Jariyat, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.692951, 38.4675765 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, two civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Horat al Jariya.

The Shaam News Network also blamed Russia, but did not provide casualty numbers.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at three but didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • 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 (9) [ 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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS853

Incident date

June 5, 2016

Location

حي ‫‏بعيدين‬, Bei'deen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2361737, 37.1832275 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died in an airstrike on Bei’deen, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

LCCSY, reported that two civilians died and several more were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike.

Alamawi, Shahba Press also said that Russia was responsible

But  Arabstoday and  Zaman Al-wasl  blamed the regime – also putting the death toll at two.

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 (9) [ 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 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
    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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS854 CS224a

Incident date

June 5, 2016

Location

شعيب الذكر, Shai'eeb al Zakar, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.800735, 38.267642 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including three children died in an airstrike on airstrike on Shai’eeb al Zakar, according to local sources though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible, with one report saying that the warplanes were thought to have belonged to the US-led Coalition.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently blamed a Russian strike on the village and named the victims.

In a news roundup, the Shaam News Network also blamed Russia, but did not provide casualty numbers.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, five civilians died in “bombing by Syrian and Russian warplanes” on “the villages of Jebbat al-Ghawali and Horat al-Jaryat south of al-Tabaqa city in the western countryside of Al-Raqqah.”

However, according to iumsonline, the Coalition may have responsible: “Warplanes thought to be from the coalition killed 5 civilians in Shai’eeb Al-Zakar one of whom is a displaced from Palmyra.”

In the second of their March 2020 civilian casualty reports, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yasser Mohammad al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Khaled Mohammad al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Ahmad Mohammad al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Mahmoud Abd al Khalek al Gharir
Age unknown male killed
Abu Ra’ad al Udwan
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children4 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime, US-led Coalition

Sources (17) [ 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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV366623
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 25, 2020

  • June 5, 2016, in Shai’eeb al Zakar, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2969/CS224a 37SDV366623

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For June 5th-6th, the Coalition reported: "Near Ar Raqqah, one strike destroyed an ISIL workover rig and an ISIL crane"

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children4 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime, US-led Coalition

Sources (17) [ collapse]