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

RS443

Incident date

January 22, 2016

Location

سرمدا, Sarmada, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.18553, 36.72231 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eight civilians including one child were killed and 12 others injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Sarmada, according to local sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human rights said that eight people (including a child and three people from the Palmyra area, a commander of a checkpoint belonging to a rebel faction and other fighters) were killed in raids by “warplanes believed to be Russian” on areas in the outskirts of the town of Sarmada near the Syrian-Turkish border and “the area of a checkpoint for the Islamic factions near Bab al-Hawa border crossing.”

Reporting on the aerial bombardment on both Bab al Hawa and Sarmada, the Observatory added that the number killed had risen to 28, including four children and a woman, in addition  to “an Uzbek family and 22 rebels“.

The Shaam News Network published a graphic video showing the aftermath of strikes. The voice over in the footage says they were carried out by the regime, though the title of the video says they were Russian raids.

Another graphic video, by the White Helmets, showed members of their team being targeted by strikes by “warplanes” – though they did not identify them.

At 1:06 in footage published by Orient News, a civil defence volunteer says: “only two minutes after the raids hit the civilian areas of Sarmada, our vehicles were hit when we arrived at the scene. We now have around 10 dead.”

Arabi21 said that four Russian strikes killed a family of seven and injured 12 others.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Wafi Ali Obaid al-Shaikh
Adult male killed
Saleh Farouq Traisi 
Adult male killed
Mahmoud al Deli
Adult male listed under Maddiq Castle where he comes from but it says he was killed in Sarmada. killed
Haj Mahmoud Mohammed Sheik
Adult male named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (1 child4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Extremely graphic footage of the immediate aftermath of the incident in Sarmada. An injured man can be seen with half his face missing. (via, Media Civil Defence)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ali Khaled al-Sultan, killed in an alleged Russian raid on Sarmada. (via, VDC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    White Helmets checking the rubble for injured or deceased civilians. (via, SNN)

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
    4 – 8
  • (1 child4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS924

Incident date

June 20, 2016

Location

حي طريق الباب, Tareeq al-Bab (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.207438, 37.1990204 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and eight civilians including one child and up to four women died – and many more were wounded – in airstrikes on Tareeq al Bab, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

Many local sources reported that between four and five of the victims were from the same family. Accpording to Halab Today TV, “the child Ahmad, the only survivor from his family of 4 who were killed following the air raid on Tareeq al bab in Aleppo”.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee put the death toll at five with six more wounded. Orient News, however, said that as many as eight died.

Ammar al-Halabi, an activist, told Syrian News Desk “Russian warplanes carried out two air missile strikes on a four-storey apartment building in the central nieghbourhood, killing six civilians, including a child. Others were taken to a field hospital for treatment.

LCCSY and the Shaam News Network blamed Russia, however, Nabd syria was among other sources blaming the regime. It said that four women and a child died, with “dozens” more people injured.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Falak Obeid, the wife of Kareem Abdul Salam
Adult female killed
Kareem Abdul Salam
50 years old male killed
The mother of Kareem Abdul Salam
Adult female killed
The daughter of Kareem Abdul Salam
20 years old female killed
Abdul Rahman Karim
5 years old male

The victims were named as:

Name unknown
Age unknown

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 8
  • (1 child3–4 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–24
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (20) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Tareeq al-Bab, June 20th (via LCCSY)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child is removed from the rubble following an airstrike on Tareeq al-Bab in Aleppo, June 20th (via aa)
  • "Russian airstrikes on Tariq al Bab neighbourhood" (via LCCSY)
  • Destruction in Tareeq al bab neighbourhood in the city (via LCCSY)
  • Destruction in Tareeq al bab neighbourhood in the city (via LCCSY)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child civilian wounded following air raids on Tareeq Al Bab (via SNN)
  • Rescue team uncover civilians from rubble following alleged strikes (via SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian covered in dust and rubble following air strikes (via SNN)
  • A boy is carried away from the destruction on a stretcher by the White Helmets (via SNN)
  • Material destruction of Tareeq Al Bab (via SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "the child Ahmad, the only survivor from his family of 4 who were killed following the air raid on Tareeq al bab in Aleppo. Photograph by Ammar al Halabi" (via Halab Tv Today)
  • The White Helmets at the site of aerial raids on Tareeq al Bab (Youtube by The White Helmets)
  • "@0’23” Tareeq al bab. Abd al Salam Kareem 50 years old and his wife Falak al Obeid and his mother and daughter and Abd al Rahman Karim 5 years old" (Youtube by Halab Tv Today)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets pull a small boy from the rubble at Tareeq al Bab (via Enabbaladi)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian boy rescued following alleged airstrikes (via Zamanalwasl)
  • "Six civilians were killed and others injured this morning, due to the Russian warplanes targeting the neighborhood Tareeq al-Bab under the control of the opposition in the south of the city of Aleppo" (via Syrianewsdesk)
  • "my house was here..." (via @mohalkhatieb)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian is pulled from the destruction in Tareeq Al Bab (via Jisrtv)
  • "Four women and a child was killed and dozens of bombing al-Assad warplanes neighborhood injured by the Al-Bab in bombing also caused the martyrdom of five children from one family" (via Nabd Syria)
  • "rescuing one of the children stuck under the rubble as a result of Russian strikes on the neighbourhoods of Aleppo" (Video via SNN Facebook)

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
  • (1 child3–4 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–24
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1231

Incident date

September 6, 2016

Location

معردبسي, Meir Debsie, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.779211, 36.770897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians including three children died and up to 20 others were wounded in shelling of Maer Debsie. Most sources attributed the event to the Syrian regime, though one blamed Russia.

According to Zaman Alwasl, six died when the regime shelled “civilians’ residential houses from the side of motorway”.

Enab Baladi, also blaming the regime, put the death toll at eight with 22 more wounded – most of them reportedly in a critical condition.

However, one source, LCCSY, alleged Russia was responsible. It put the death toll at six with 10 wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mohammed Ahmad Haj Yehya
Age unknown male killed
Abdul-Rahim Haj Yehya
Age unknown male killed
Nawaf Ahmad Haj Yehya
Age unknown killed

Family members (3)

Ali Mohammed Isma’il
Child male killed
Rawda Mohammed Isma’il
Child killed
Aysha Mohammed Isma’i
Child killed

The victims were named as:

Ali Matar Jum’a
Age unknown male killed
Mohammed Hussein Sheikh Saleh
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–20
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A civilian is rescued following a strike on Maer Debseh, Sept 6th (via Jisrtv)
  • The White Helmets search for civilians in Maer Debseh, following suspected Regime or Russian attacks (via Enab Baladi)
  • The source alleged Regime warplanes commited the massacre in Maer Debseh - footage reveals significant material destruction (Youtube via EMC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–20
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS283

Incident date

December 16, 2015

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

Eight people were reported killed and 40 wounded in three alleged Russian night time airstrikes on Al Bab according to multiple sources. Though the ISIL-lnked news agency Al A’maq claimed the deaths were “as a result of the Russian strikes” VDC blamed the fatalities on “the regime air forces’ shelling with explosive barrels on a popular market.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hasan Nako or Hasan Zakour al-Naqour
Adult male killed
Zakaria Mostafa Abo Kasheh or Zakarya Musyafa Abo Kasheh
Adult male killed
Abd al-Hamid Abo Kasheh or Abdulhameed Abo Kasheh
Adult male killed
Yehya Kazkaz or Yehya Mustafa Kezkaz
Adult male killed
Mohammad Mahmoud al-Sabhah
Adult male killed
Sabreen Nemeh
25 years old male killed
Daughter of Redwan al-Bzaighi
Adult female killed
Wife of Redwan al-Bzaighi’s
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child2 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abd al-Hamid Abo Kasheh, killed in Al Bab by alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raids. (via, VDC)
  • Yehya Kazkaz, killed in a contested airstrike. (via, VDC)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a market in the city of Al Bab (الباب).Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Bab are: 371972, 37.51631.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child2 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.

Incident Code

RS1720

Incident date

November 29, 2016

Location

كفرزيتا, Kafr Zita neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.3747033, 36.5923691 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media named six people killed in an alleged Russian or Assad regime air or artillery strike in Kafr Zita – though most sources said that the victims were fighters. According to several reports.

The Step News Agency reported that “Russian fighter jets renewed their bombardment of areas of Hama north Tuesday evening 29th of November with several air strikes, one of them targeting a base belonging to the rebels in Al Issa army in Kafr Zita which led to the killing of seven people among them the commander of the artillery regiment in al Izza  Army, Tariq Kattab”.

The Syrian Observatory also said the victims were “mostly fighters” – but blamed “shelling by the regime forces and warplanes on the [rebels’] headquarters  in Kafr Zita”.

According to Baladi and other sources an ambulance was hit in the strike, “causing injury to the driver and facilities and the burning of the car completely”.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Tarek Khattab
Adult male Named as a fighter by Kafar Zita martyrs killed
Khattab Mohammed Khattab
Adult male Named as a fighter by Kafar Zita martyrs killed
Jadoua Ahmed Khattab
Adult male Named as a fighter by Kafar Zita martyrs killed

The victims were named as:

Fayez Al - Khalid
Adult Named as a fighter by Kafar Zita martyrs killed
Mohammed Khaled Hammadi
Adult male Named as a fighter by Kafar Zita martyrs killed
Ayman Faraj
Adult Named as a fighter by Kafar Zita martyrs killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 8
  • (0–8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The burnt shell of an ambulance following a strike on Kafr Zita, Nov 29th 2016 (via @SN4HR)

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
    0 – 8
  • (0–8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1763

Incident date

December 6, 2016

Location

كفرسجنة, Kafr Sajna, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.52447, 36.590051 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eight civilians were killed and 15 injured in multiple airstrikes on Kafr Sajna, according to local media – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible.

Step News, who put the death toll at four with a “number” of injuries, reported that “warplanes launched four airstrikes with surface rockets this morning [6th] on Kafr Sajna – targeting one civilian in the south of the town, near the school compound and killing four civilians who have not yet been identified because the bodies are charred.”

Up to 15 civilians were also wounded in the incident, with Madar Daily News reporting that on Kafr Sajna, there were “three airstrikes, killing six civilians and wounding 15 others”.

Idlib News Network reported that it was specifically Russian “SU-35” warplanes that struck the town.

Some sources, such as Syria News Desk, placed responsibility with Assad’s regime, however. They reported that “five civilians were killed and ten others were wounded by regime planes launching three raids striking the town of Kafr Sajna.”

LCCSY, who placed responsibility for the event with Russia, stated that eight civilians died in the attack on Kafr Sajna.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khaldoon Al-Saeed
Adult male killed
Mohammed Haj Ali
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Bombing Kafr Sajneh on 6th December 2016
  • Translation: +18 Russian & Syrian Regimes crimes in Idlib

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: The bodies in Kfrgana after air raids on the town.
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Kafr Sajna, December 6, 2016. (Via: Step News)
  • An airstrike on Kafr Sajna, December 6, 2016. (Via: Step News)
  • Translation: Five civilians were killed and ten others were wounded today by regime planes launching three raids on the town of Kafr Sajna - under the control of the opposition in Idlib south.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Kafr Sajna (كفرسجنة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.52447,36.590051. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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 December 1st – 31st 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.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2163

Incident date

April 24, 2017

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.440813, 36.6493607 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians were killed – including children – and as many as 15 were wounded, following an attack on a popular market selling sells vegetables, fruits and nuts in Khan Sheikhoun. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, with some blaming the Syrian regime and others blaming Russia.

SHRC reported that the strike happened at approximately 3:00pm, and blamed Syrian military aircraft which allegedly attacked the market with a single airstrike which contained two rockets. 

SHCR reported that some of the injured were severe, and there were even amputations. Additionally, other sources claimed that the death toll was likely to rise due to the severity of the wounded. Many bodies of the dead were unrecognisable due to burns. Two of the victims were also “beheaded”, photographic evidence was published to prove it.

The civil defence teams reportedly recovered the victims bodies and took the injured to the nearest medical point in the region because there was no hospital in the city. 

Testimony of “Anas Bakour” Civil Defence in Idlib:

“At three o’clock this afternoon, I heard the military aircraft of the regime fly over the airspace in the southern countryside Idlib, and then again called it struck the popular market in the centre of the city of Khan Sheikun. We rushed to the place where the market was bombed. After arriving at the site of the raid, we were able to evacuate five injured people. There were also more than five victims, including a child who had died. We took the injured to the medical points in the depth of Idlib and its northern outskirts and the remains of an unidentified child remained.”

Testimony of one of the parents of a victim:

“The vendors were selling vegetables in this market. Suddenly, the warplanes attacked us and shelled two missiles. Four martyrs fell in this place together. I do not know the total number of the massacre. That is what I saw. The sellers here are very simple and have no source of income except this simple market. Most of them sell lettuce. The market has no place for anyone armed at all or even a place to have weapons, all of us and all those who come here are civilians. Since the massacre by the regime with chemical weapons, the bombing here in the city has not subsided for one day.”

The incident occured at approximately 3:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Talal Qutini
Age unknown killed
Mohammed Najjar
Age unknown male killed
Mohammed Talal Al-Khani
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Razzaq Abbou
Age unknown male from Hama killed
Ahmed Abdel Karim Diop
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Hamid Ahmed Diop
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Razzaq Qatini
Age unknown male killed
Unidentified child
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • A news bulletin reporting on the airstrikes in Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via Hadi ABdullah)
  • A news bulletin reporting on the airstrikes in Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via Shaam SNN)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casulty in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via Alsouria)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via 77lashi)
  • Poster. (via Idlib white helmets)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SN4HR)

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 April 1st – 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS068

Incident date

October 22, 2015

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.949949, 39.007363 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A wave of night time airstrikes hit a number of civilian objects in the city according to reports, killing seven to eight non-combatants. At least 11 and as many as 40 Daesh militants were also reported killed.

According to the Syrian Observatory, “13 airstrikes targeted places near the Emergency Branch, the Hospitality Palace, Hawd al-Forat building, Balqis School (al- Zakat office), the governorate building, the municipal Stadium, the national hospital and around IS headquarters.” Reuters placed the number of strikes as high as seventeen.

A taxi was destroyed outside the city’s main Al Hayat hospital, killing all those inside the vehicle and badly damaging a nearby civilian house. Civilian Abd al Kareem Mohammad al Ghaffan was among those killed.

A Daesh propaganda video shows major damage to a civilian street, with numerous houses, shops and vehicles destroyed.

In the chaos following the strikes, Raqaa is Being Slaughtered reported: “News emerged that a number of prisoners had escaped Point 11, formerly the municipal stadium. IS then imposed a security cordon around the area and started search operations for those who managed to run.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abd al Kareem Mohammad al Ghaffan
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Clearing up after a wave of deadly Russian airstrikes on Raqqah, Oct 22 2015 (via RBSS)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

There is no published Russian Defence Ministry record for October 22nd-23rd 2015. However in a possible link, images published the following morning show combat aircraft taking off for night operations.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]