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

RS800

Incident date

May 17, 2016

Location

الرستن‬, Ar-Rastan, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.93, 36.74 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three civilians including one child died in airstrikes on Ar-Rastan according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible.

According to LCCSY, “several” Russian raids killed five civilians and wounded more. Syria7ra also blamed Russia on Twitter.

However, many other sources said the Syrian regime was responsible for the raids. Shaam News Network said the regime carried out two raids with vacuum missiles, leading to the death of three non-combatants, including one child, and the wounding of many others. Enab News reported that “seven warplane raids in Ar-Rastan killed 3 civilians and wounded 15.”

Three victims, killed by “warplanes” were named by the VDC.

Yaroub Aldaly tweeted a link to a YouTube video (GRAPHIC) by Homs AlRastan, saying “A sister searches from her brother before she recognizes him. Martyr Nidal Mousilli, died in warplane shelling in Ar-Rastan.” His name was also mentioned in a tweet by Abobyanalrastan.

Homs Alrastan posted three other (graphic) videos on YouTube, showing the dead and wounded after the strikes on Ar-Rastan.

A day after the raids, on the 18th, Eldorar news reported: “Today three civilans died from wounds they suffered in yesterday’s 17th, warplane shelling of Ar-Rastan.” This would put the death toll at six.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nidal Mosili
Adult male killed
Obaida Ali al-Mawla
Child male killed
MAhmoud Ahmad Fetrawi
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Casualties from the air strike.e

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Martyr Nidal Moselly

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Airstrikes on Al-Rastan

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured taken to hospital.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    a number of civilians killed due to the airstrikes

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Nidal Moselli

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 May 1st – 31st

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
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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

RS798

Incident date

May 15, 2016

Location

الرستن‬, Ar-Rastan, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.93, 36.74 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to multiple local sources, Russian warplanes targeted farmlands in the northern and western suburbs of the town of Ar Rastan with vacuum missiles, leading to the death of one or two civilians and the wounding of several others. Sources spoke of dozens of Russian raids.

Ar-Rastan media office said the civilian killed was Siham Ibrahim Ayyoub, daughter of Abu Ayyoub.

In two tweets, by Syriafree339 and Gelal1985abdo, the death of a combatant was also reported: “Sameer Zabateh from Ar-Rastan was killed in Russian warplane shelling in Al Zara front.”

Okaz news and Homs Committee news spoke of a total of more than 50 Russian airstrikes in the districts of Ar-Rastan, Ghajar, Talbiseh and E’z Al-deen which killed 8 and wounded others.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Siham Ibrahim Ayyoub
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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 (1) [ 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 May 1st – 31st.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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

RS799

Incident date

May 15, 2016

Location

السحل, Al Sahal, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.87441, 38.63985 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Raqqa News 24/24 reported that a “Russian warplane” targeted the home of one of the residents of the village at 02.30am, leading to the man’s immediate death. It also said that the planes targeted the water pump east of Al Mansoura, causing material damage. Muslim Forum also reported the death of the man and said others were wounded.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently referred only to “warplanes” and did not identify them. However, it said there had been four strikes which led to the death of the young man Z’eitar Mohammad Al Hussein al Ali.

The VDC also named this victim as killed in “warplane shelling”.

Alwatan news (pro-regime source) said the Coalition was responsible for the raids.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Z’eitar Mohammad Al Hussein al Ali.
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 (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 May 1st – 31st.

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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS797

Incident date

May 14, 2016

Location

بابيص, Babis, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2465575, 37.0250416 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple local sources reported that two civilians were killed and up to seven people were wounded following alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on the village of Babis in the countryside of Aleppo.

While most sources blamed Russia, some said the Syrian regime was responsible, and again others did not identify who carried out the raids. The victims were named as:

Kassem Hamdan

Khaled Ghassan

Both were civilian residents of Babis.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Kassem Hamdan
Age unknown male civilian residents of Babis killed
Khaled Ghassan
Age unknown male civilian residents of Babis killed

Summary

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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Two martyrs and 7 wounded in warplane shelling in Babis (via ShehabPress)

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 May 1st – 31st.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS795

Incident date

May 11, 2016

Location

الشحيل, Al Shaheel, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.0865, 40.45232 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 15 civilians including four children died and up to 20 were injured in an airstrike on a health facility at Al Shaheel town, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Shaam News Network reported that amid intensive raids on several areas in Deir ez-Zor, Russia carried out strikes targeting a clinic in Al Shaheel, leading to the death of 12 civilians.

LCCSY also believed the planes responsible to be Russian. It put the death toll at 11, naming the same victims as VDC (below) and one unidentified person.

Alaraby and All4Syria news also blamed Russia, but said that 15 people were killed and 20 others wounded. All4Syria also said that the raids had “destroyed the medical points in the village.”

In confused reporting, Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently published a number of posts which referred to unidentified warplanes, then attributed the attack to Russia and finally said that the regime was responsible. It said that 11 non-combatants were killed – mostly women and children.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did not say who the planes belonged to, putting the number of fatalities at seven or more and 11 injured. However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said that government missiles were fired on a “dispensary” in the town, severely damaging it and rendering it inoperable.

The Violations Documentation Center named 12 victims of “warplane” shelling a

Alsharq Alarabi News also named Hasan Al-Mukhlaf Al-Halloum.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Krout al-Ahwal
Adult male killed
Atouseh Awad al-Khalaf al-Ahwal
Child female killed
Khalil Khalaf al-Ahwal
Child male killed
Awdeh Mohaisen al-Ahwal
Adult male killed
Majed Hasan al-Ahwal
Child male killed
Hasan al-Ahwal
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Samira Awad Hasan al-Khalaf
Child female killed
Mohammad Hosain al-Mekhlef al-Haloum
Adult male killed
Rifea al-Nizam
Adult female killed
Ahmad Aboud Hosain al-Hafi
Adult male killed
Ramadan Ahmad al-Baei
Adult male killed
Hasan al-Mor
Adult male killed
Hasan Al-Mukhlaf Al-Halloum
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 15
  • (4 children7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–20
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The death of the village of Deir al-Zour following a Russian raid and the bombing continues on Aleppo. (via akhbaralaan)
  • Warplanes target the medical centre in the city. (via Deir Ezzor)

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 May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 15
  • (4 children7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–20
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS796

Incident date

May 11, 2016

Location

Ibn Khaldoun (Ar Raqqahh), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four or five civilians including three children and one women died in airstrikes on the Ibn Khaldoun neighborhood of Ar Raqqa, according to local sources which also said that a school was targeted – though reports are conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Shaam News Network reported that Russian warplanes killed three children when they carried out raids which targeted the Ibn Khaldoun neighborhood and Zee Kaar school.

An initial post by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently said three children died in Russian strikes, however, subsequent reports only mentioned “warplanes” and did not say who they belonged to.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “government warplanes” killed three people including a child and a woman when they fired missiles on the neighborhood, targeting Zee Kaar school. It reported that the school was partially destroyed.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Mohammad Shawha
Adult male killed
Fatima Baha’a Al Deen
four-years-old years old Fatima was also named as killed in “warplane shelling” by the VDC and multiple other sources, including Alamawi and the Syrian Network for Human Rights. killed
Marwa Mahmoud Al Nawri
Age unknown

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (3 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 (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of raids on Zee Kaar school and the Ibn Khaldoun of the city of Raqqa, May 12th 2016 (via RBSS)
  • Fatima Baha’a Al Deen, four years old, killed in a strike on Ibn Khaldoun (Ar Raqqahh), May 12th (via RBSS)
  • A photo of the young man Mahmoud Mohammad Shawha who was martyred after raids by warplanes on Ibn Khaldoun area last night. (via RBSS)
  • - the signs of destruction resulting from the air raids last night near Zee Kaar school and Ibn Khaldoun area. (via RBSS)
  • Government warplanes targeted Thei Qar School in Ibn Khaldoun neighborhood in Raqqa city, partially damaging it, May 11. (via SNHR)

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 May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (3 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 (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS793

Incident date

May 10, 2016

Location

تقاد, Taqad, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1994732, 36.871233 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to multiple local sources, three children died when the remains of a cluster bomb – allegedly earlier dropped by Russia – exploded in the town of Taqad.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, which also said three children died, blamed the regime for originally dropping the cluster bomb. Alarab News reported that “a loud explosion was heard due to an explosion of a bomb thrown earlier but did not explode. There were reports about martyrs and wounded.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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

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 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

RS794

Incident date

May 10, 2016

Location

بنش, Binnish, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.958429, 36.711587 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 10 and 14 civilians including two to three children and one woman died in an airstrike on Binnish which struck a mosque, a market and houses, according to multiple local sources. The majority of reports point to this being the work of the Assad regime, though  others, like LCCSY, alleged that Russia was responsible. Some sources did not identify the planes that carried out the attack.

Step News posted a video saying that a warplane raid in a market in Binnish led to a massacre. An initial report by the Shaam News Network blamed the regime, saying that the town of Binnish – next to Al Faw’a – was one of the locations supposedly covered by a cessation of fighting under the  “Al Faw’a – Al Zabadanii” agreement. It added that “Assad warplanes violated this agreement several times”.

Activists told SNN that the targeting of civilian homes killed 10 individuals and wounded 20 more. They named Abdul Ghaffar Harb, a military commander of Ahrar al-Sham (Al Qaeda) as a victim. A further report by the network said that activists had documented the death of an entire family when the Al Sheikh Sh’eib mosque was struck by “warplanes“. (This time it did not identify them.)

The victims were named as Muhannad Abdul Khaliq and his wife and two children. SNN added that a third child of the family – “no more than seven years old” – was in intensive care in a hospital on the Turkey border. Two raids were reported, one of which was on the mosque. They put the death toll at 12, and said that most of them were passers-by in front of the mosque. Several other sources also reported the death of two children, though in a tweet by Gnat it was said that three children from the same family were killed.

SNN also published a video showing the strike and aftermath, which they said had been carried out by “Sukhoi 24” warplanes. Other media organisations also posted footage:

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did not identify the warplanes responsible, but said that at least 10 died, including two children “and a military commander of a battalion belonging to the Islamic Movement of Ahrar al-Sham“. It later posted a video on Twitter, showing the destruction caused. A video posted by Orient News showed what they said was a vacuum missile flying through the air and striking the mosque. It alleged that it was the work of the regime.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights also attributed the incident to the regime, and put the death toll at nine civilians. The White Helmets reported at least 10 non-combatants killed, but did not say who was responsible.

Two additional victims were named by the Violations Documentation Center. It blamed Russia.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Muhannad Abdul Khaliq
Adult male killed
Muhannad Abdul Khaliq's wife
Age unknown female killed
Muhannad Abdul Khaliq's child
Age unknown killed
Muhannad Abdul Khaliq's child
Age unknown killed

The victims were named as:

Abdul Baset Abdul Salam Jabaq
Adult male killed
Saad Mustafa Ameen Astaifi
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 14
  • (2–3 children1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–25
  • 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 (38) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • Bodies are lined up following a strike on Banis, May 10th (via SNN)
  • Abdul Baset Abdul Salam Jabaq (via VDC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Saad Mustafa Ameen Astaifi (via VDC)
  • Saad Mustafa Ameen Astaifi (via VDC)
  • Video shows the destruction caused by raids carried out by warplanes on areas on Bennesh city in Idlib province (via SOHR)
  • Ten martyrs and twenty wounded by air raids on the city of Bensh countryside Idlib (via SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian burned in warplane shelling in Binnish. (via 111_saleh)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Three children killed all from same family in suspected Russian warplane shelling in Binnish. (via Gnat)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Three children killed all from same family in suspected Russian warplane shelling in Binnish. (via Gnat)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of the airstrike. (via SNN)
  • Victims of the airstrike. (via SNN)
  • Aftermath of the airstrike. (via SNN)
  • Aftermath of the airstrike. (via SNN)
  • victims died in government warplanes missiles fired on Binnish city in Idlib governorate, May 10. (via SNHR)
  • government warplanes (allies) fired missiles on Al Sheikh Shu’ayeb Mosque in Binnish city in Idlib governorate, causing a massacre, damaging the mosque severely, and rendering it inoperable, May 10. (via SNHR)
  • The civil defence in the southern Aleppo countryside helps the civil defence team in Idlib to pull out the martyrs resulting from the massacre at Binsh. (via White Helmets)
  • The civil defence in the southern Aleppo countryside helps the civil defence team in Idlib to pull out the martyrs resulting from the massacre at Binsh. (via White Helmets)
  • The civil defence in the southern Aleppo countryside helps the civil defence team in Idlib to pull out the martyrs resulting from the massacre at Binsh. (via White Helmets)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The civil defence in the southern Aleppo countryside helps the civil defence team in Idlib to pull out the martyrs resulting from the massacre at Binsh. (via White Helmets)

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 May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 14
  • (2–3 children1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–25
  • 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 (38) [ collapse]