Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

RS463

Incident date

January 26, 2016

Location

أريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81374, 36.60964 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between eight and nine civilians including one woman were killed and nine others injured in airstrikes on a popular market in Ariha, according to local sources. While three of the sources blame Russia for the attack, a fourth (the Syrian Network for Human Rights) says that the Assad regime were responsible.

Activist told the Shaam News Network that Russian warplanes bombed the market vacuum missiles, killing eight including a woman. They added that nine others were wounded, including three children left in a critical condition.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also blamed Russia, putting the death toll at nine including one woman.

However, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the missiles were fired by regime warplanes, damaging several shops in the market.

Eight victims were named by the Violations Documentation Centre including one Unidentified adult male.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Age unknown male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (1 woman8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory,” but makes no mention of strikes in Idlib.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (1 woman8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS250

Incident date

December 9, 2015

Location

النشابية, Al Nashabiya, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.514157, 36.487656 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to nine civilians were killed, including six children, and 14 more people wounded including a woman, in airstrikes and ground assaults on Al Nashabiya.

According to Shaam News the civilian deaths were a result of “violent attacks” by Russian warplanes and Assad’s forces. Activists published images showing the bodies of children who had “been broken in pieces by the fall of Assad shells at civilian homes.”

SNN reported that the area adjacent to Nashabiya had been experiencing intense battles in recent days.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 9
  • (5–6 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14
  • 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

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Interviews with civilians in the aftermath of airstrikes on al- Nashabiyya. (via, Syriahr)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a seriously injured, possibly deceased child following an alleged Syrian Regime and Russian airstrike. (via, SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured child in a medical facility in Al Nashabiya. (via, SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a deceased child. (via, SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of a deceased child in the aftermath of an airstrike. (via, SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child receiving treatment in a medical facility following an airstrike. (via, SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a seriously injured child. (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has published no known record of its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 9
  • (5–6 children4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14
  • 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

Incident Code

RS2990

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

حزة, Hazza, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.52034, 36.36494 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three and as many as nine civilians were killed and one child was wounded, following aerial and possible missile shelling of Hazza, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, according to local media reported – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

According to local reports, the incident in Hazza was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this was the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

While most sources reported that three civilians were killed, Syrian Press Center said that nine were killed in two raids. None of the sources provided details about age or gender.

At least one civilian was left wounded as the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) published a photo of a little child receiving treatment for the wounds he sustained by the strikes.

It should, however, be noted that while most reports referred to aerial shelling, Masrawy News and SN4HR, both attributing blame to the Syrian regime, mentioned the use of missile attacks.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Even though most sources identified the Syrian regime as responsible, Russian culpability cannot be excluded as Local Coordination Committees of Syria pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 9
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A wounded child following the contested shelling of Hazza, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 9
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1485 RS2443

Incident date

September 14, 2017

Location

بقرص تحتاني, Bokros Tahtani, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.057081, 40.411497 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between seven and nine civilians died including three children and one woman and up to 17 others were wounded in airstrikes on the al Qasr area of Bokros Tahtani, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether the Coalition, Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

The Step News Agency and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights pointed towards Coalition airstrikes. However most other sources including Al Araby, Orient and Sharqiya Voice, blamed Russia.

According to Sharqiya, “a Russian warplane targeted the village of Bokros Tahtani, and in particular civilian homes on al Qasr Road in the centre of the village, killing nine civilians and wounding more than 17 others, in addition to the destruction of houses.”

Deir Ezzor24 reported that warplanes “bombed a group of civilians near a car who were distributing bread in the village.” Other sources said that the strikes occurred near al Qasr school.

Orient News reported “a total of 14 martyrs, mostly women and children, killed and a number of others injured as a result of Russian air strikes targeting the towns of Baqrass Tahtani and Khasham in the village of Deir al-Zour with rockets and cluster bombs.”

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime, reporting: “6 civilians, including 3 children and a woman, killed in Syrian regime warplanes missiles fired on Buqrus Tahtani village in Deir Ez-Zour governorate eastern suburbs, September 14, 2017.”

Euphrates Post also said that Khader Sa’id al-Nizhan died as a result of injuries sustained in an attack by warplanes on September 14th – though the source later told Airwars that the event occurred in Al Mayadin.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhannad al Hamid al Akoo
Age unknown killed
The daughter of Hamad al-Hussein
Age unknown female
Hussein Al-Hamad Al-Hussein Al-Hamada
Age unknown male killed
The daughter of Nizar al-Nizhan
Age unknown female killed
The daughter of Ahmad Al-Khalifa Badawi
Age unknown female killed
Wife of Nizar al-Nizhan
Age unknown female killed
Yousef Al-Hussein
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 9
  • (3 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • 'Pictures showing the destruction caused by the air raid on the town of Baqras Tahtani near the palace school from the road Badia noon today.'

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Al Qasr (القصر) area in the village of Bokros Tahtani (بقرص تحتاني). One source describes the place as near Al Qasr school, from the road of Badia. Airwars geolocated photos of a destroyed building to this location: 35.057081, 40.411497. Satellite imagery available to Airwars suggests that the building was destroyed between 12 and 22 September, 2017

  • Structural damage seen to the building on October 1st, 2017

    Imagery:
    © 2018 Google

  • Based on this panorama composed of available media, Airwars was able to geolocate the destroyed building

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

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
  • Stated location
    near Bokros Tahtani, Deir Ez Zor, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU287802
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 28, 2018
  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For September 13th-14th, the Coalition reported: “Near Dayr Az Zawr, nine strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed two tactical vehicles, an ISIS fuel station and a fighting position.”

For September 14th - 15th, the Coalition reported: "Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two vehicles". It later reported, "On Sept. 14, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria six strikes destroyed an ISIS UAS, a fighting position, an ISIS supply route and suppressed three fighting positions"

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

‘Friday 15 September – a Reaper supported coalition airstrikes near Dayr az Zawr, and delivered two attacks itself against extremists in the open, whilst Typhoons destroyed a Daesh-held building… On Friday 15 September, a Reaper was again very active north-east of Dayr az Zawr; it provided support to coalition airstrikes which destroyed three Daesh-held buildings, then conducted two attacks on its own account with Hellfire missiles against terrorists moving through the area. Nearby, a Typhoon flight bombed a further Daesh-held building.’

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 9
  • (3 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1101

Incident date

August 5, 2016

Location

مديرة, Madira, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.544977, 36.3856853 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An entire family was killed in an alleged “rocket attack” in the town of Madira in an aerial bombardment according to local media. Sources reported that cluster bombs and rockets were used in the airstrike. All sources reported that Russian aircraft was to blame for this incident. These included Al Jazeera, Jisrtv, Halab Today and VDC. There was no mention of Assad Regime forces.

The sources added that dozens more were injured. Aletihad Press put the number of injured much higher at “more than 36”.

There are currently no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Child male killed
Child male killed
Child female killed
Adult male killed
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Hassan Batheesh
Age unknown male (It is not clear whether Hassan was killed in Ein Tarma or Madira), named Radio Alkul killed
Nabil Ethiopian
Age unknown named Radio Alkul killed
Mohammed Zaal
Age unknown named Radio Alkul killed
Shahid Ali Beik
Age unknown named Radio Alkul killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    36
  • 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]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 1st – 10th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    36
  • 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

RS1165

Incident date

August 18, 2016

Location

الصالحية, Salhiya, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.7146658, 40.7555866 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to nine civilians including children and a woman died and as many as dozens more were wounded in an airstrike on the village of Salihiya at the northern entrance to the city of Deir Ezzor, local media reported.

Three sources – @ِALAMAWI, @ShahbaPress, LCCSY – said that six victims from one family had died. The majority of reports pointed to Russia, though several also said that the regime may have been responsible for the casualties.

According to Syria News Desk, “Russian Warplanes used cluster bombs to target the village of Salihia, which is under the control of the organisation [Isis] in the east countryside of Deir Ezzor, killing seven civilians from one family and injuring more than 15 others”.

The Violations Documentation Centre named one male child fatality. Free DeirEzzor Radio also named the victim and blamed Russian cluster bombs, which it said had killed seven people. The highest death toll was put at nine by @RFS_mediaoffice, though the source didn’t identify the culprit.

Both the Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Shaam News Network put the death count at six including three children. SN4HR added that a woman also died. However, these two sources blamed “government warplanes and its allies”.

According to Deirezzor24, “dozens” more civilians were wounded in the incident.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 9
  • (1–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–24
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Terkey Mahmoud al-Mhaidi, killed in an alleged Russian cluster bomb strike on Salihiya, Aug 18th (via Free Deirezzor radio)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Terkey Mahmoud al-Mhaidi, killed in an alleged Russian cluster bomb strike on Salihiya, August 18th. (via Mohamed Dabool)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Terkey Mahmoud al-Mhaidi, killed in an alleged Russian cluster bomb strike on Salihiya, August 18th. (via Mohamed Dabool)
  • The aftermath of the incident. (via, JisirTV)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

On August 18th 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that, "Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 tactical bombers took off from airbases on the territories of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran and carried out a group air strike on objects of the ISIS terrorist grouping in the Deir ez-Zor province. As a result, the strikes have eliminated 5 large depots with armament, munitions and fuel, 6 control centres, a large number of militants, artillery positions and armoured hardware of terrorists."

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 9
  • (1–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–24
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS805

Incident date

May 22, 2016

Location

كفر حلب, Kafr Halab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.062057, 36.871512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

It was reported that nine female farmers died when remains of cluster bombs allegedly fired by Russia exploded.

Al Jisr TV also reported this information, but said this occurred in Kafr Hamra – which is possibly a mistake.

Because of near-identical copy by all media, this is presently classed as a weakly reported incident.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (9 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (9 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3177

Incident date

March 6, 2018

Location

جسرين, Jisreen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5112138, 36.3881891 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between six and nine civilians including three children were killed, and dozens more were wounded, in airstrikes on Jisreen, local media reported. Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the raids.

Most sources attributed the blame to the Syrian regime; however, the Violations Documentation Centre, who named six fatalities, blamed “Syrian government and affiliated militias” and, in one case solely Russia.

According to the Smart News Agency (SNN), who said that this was the work of Russia, “warplanes launched more than 15 air strikes on the town, killing nine civilians and wounding several others as an initial proceeds, the teams transferred to medical points in the region.”

Only six victims were named despite most sources reporting that the death toll was eight or nine.

The shelling struck a residential neighbourhood with more than 15 strikes. Several sources noted that Russia was targeting bridges in Eastern Ghouta.

Enab Baladi said that the strikes occurred in the morning.

 

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 9
  • (3 children3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A dead body on the streets of Jisreen in the aftermath of airstrikes. (via @mhmdzaml)
  • Wounded civilians receive treatment in the aftermath of airstrikes on Jisreen, 6th March 2018. (via @Press_Alaaahmad)
  • Wounded civilians receive treatment in the aftermath of airstrikes on Jisreen, 6th March 2018. (via @Press_Alaaahmad)
  • Wounded civilians receive treatment in the aftermath of airstrikes on Jisreen, 6th March 2018. (via @Press_Alaaahmad)
  • Wounded civilians receive treatment in the aftermath of airstrikes on Jisreen, 6th March 2018. (via @Press_Alaaahmad)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 9
  • (3 children3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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]