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

RS588

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

الغارية, Al Gariya, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.6854754, 36.2402058 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including one woman and one child died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Gariya, according to local sources.

The VDC named one adult male victim of a Russian strike as  Khaled Ayed al Mefrej. All4Syria also attributed the incident to Russia, reporting that “Russian warplanes targeted the towns and cities (Naemeh – East Ghariyah – West Ghariyah – Alma – elSoura – elHerak) with more than 40 raid cluster bombs internationally forbidden, which led to the fall of a number of the victims were civilians, specifically in the east of Gharriyahl.“

According to Daraa Martyrs, Khaled Ayed el Mffarej died in a strike by “warplanes”, though didn’t identify the planes. Syria 2011 named an additional two victims of a Russian raid.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yazan Ibrahim Harouni
Child male Named by Syria2011 killed
Fatima Mahmoud al-Ghazali
Adult female Named by Syria2011 killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Near al-Ghariyah al-Gharbiyah (Daraa province), a Su-34 bomber made a strike on an ISIS strong point. The direct hit of a guided munition caused complete destruction of the terrorists’ fortifications. Objective monitoring data confirmed elimination of 2 pieces of militants’ armored hardware.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS578

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

مارع, Mare', Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.482582, 37.19593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including one woman died and ten others were injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Mare’ according to local sources.

The Violations Documentation Center named two adult males and one adult female as killed in a Russian airstrike on Mare’.

The White Helmets said warplanes targeted the town with a vacuum missile, injuring several people who were taken to field hospitals. They reported “great destruction of builidings“, but they did not say who the warplanes belonged to, nor provide numbers of deaths.

Shaam News also reported three deaths in the town, but did not say that Russia was responsible.

Both the citizen journalist Ali Ahmad Alnajjar and Shahba Press posted videos showing widespread destruction of what looks to be a civilian neighborhood. Shahba said Russian planes struck with a “parachute-carried rocket“, adding that six homes were destroyed and three civilians killed, with more than ten wounded.

All4Syria, Damascus Center for Human Rights, Halab News and Syrian Press Center also attributed the incident to Russia.

The three victims were named by the VDC.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Jomaa Eido al-Najjar
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Hiyam Abdul Majeed al-Najjar
Adult female Listed by VDC killed
Othman Hsain al-Nemeh
Adult male Listed by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Witness: the destruction of six houses fully and considerable material damage caused by the air strikes of Russian occupation planes with a parachute-carried rocket on the city of Mare` in the countryside of Aleppo which led to the martyrdom of three civilians and wounding more than 10 others. Testimony by Civil Defense member: At 10.30 a.m today the Russian warplanes targeted this area, as you can see, which led to three martyrs and 10 wounded. May God help us.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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

RS589

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

تلمنس, Talmanas, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.63726, 36.73746 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians including two children and three women died in airstrikes on Talmanas, according to local sources – though they are conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime, and there is also some confusion on the date of the incident.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 17 civilians died as a result of “raids by warplanes believed to be Russian on Talmanas, al-Ftirah and Aafes“. It put the death toll in Talmanas at six, including one child and three women.

Three victims of a Russian strike were named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies.

Three further victims (from an alleged Russian strike) were named by Syrian Press Center.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights regime shelling killed at least three civilians – though they gave the date for this as a day earlier, February 9th, meaning that this could be a separate incident.

Al Souria also blamed the regime.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Safa Abdul Kafi A’awad
Age unknown female Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Iman Abdul Kafi A’awad
Age unknown female Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Maryam Abdul Kafi A’awad
Age unknown female Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Mustafa Nidal Al Shawirdi
Child male displaced from the city of Mork in Hama, named by Syrian Press Center killed
Abdalkarim Nidal Al Shawirdi
Age unknown male displaced from the city of Mork in Hama, named by Syrian Press Center killed
Malak Kafi el Awad
Age unknown male from Talmanas, named by Syrian Press Center killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (2 children3 women2 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
    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
Official source

Russia makes no public mention of having carried out strikes in Idlib for the period of February 10th – February 15th and published the following in response to civilian casualty allegations in the governorate during these dates:

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (2 children3 women2 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS579

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

كفر حمرة, Kafr Hamra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.252649, 37.079115 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and 10 others injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafr Hamra, according to local sources.

Syrian Press Center reported that Russia carried out four raids, killing one non-combatant and injuring 10 more – adding that the death toll was expected to rise due to the severity of some of the injuries. All4Syria also said Russia was responsible for the death of one non-combatant and wounding of another ten.

According to an initial report by the White Helmets “warplanes” (they did not say who they belonged to” targeted Kafr Hamra with several raids.

However, a second report by the White Helmets, appeared to blame Russia, the title of a video showing the aftermath of the attack reading: “The signs of destruction left by Russian bombardment a short while ago on the town of Kafr Hamra that led to the death of one person and the injury of five others.9/2/2016.“

In a news roundup, Shaam News Network said there had been one death from a strike, but did not specifically say that Russia carried it out.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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

RS580

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

تل رفعت, Tall Rif`at, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.472576, 37.096272 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and dozens more were injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Tel Rifa’at, according to local media.

The Violations Documentation Center named one adult male civilian, 62-year-old Abdul Jabbar Mohammad Mraimini, as killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on tel Rifa’at. Shaam News Network also reported one death, however it did not specifically say this was caused by a Russian raid.

A video published by Tal Refaat Information Office showed repeated strikes on “civilian houses” in the area. The source said that they were conducted by Russia. According to Shahba Press, there were more than 20 Russian strikes launched on the Tuesday on Tel Rifa’at, killing one non-combatant and injuring dozens more.

Smart published a video showing child casualties from raids which they said were Russian.

Two victims of an alleged Russian strike were named by Halab News.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Osman Hussein Nehmeh
Age unknown male Listed by Halab News killed
Abdul-Jabbar Mohammed Mariamna
62 years old male Listed by Halab News killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Footage showing an airstrike on Tel Rifa’at, Feb 9th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS581

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

ﺣﻠﺐ, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.197971, 37.1656697 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Center named one civilian Abo Shukri as a victim – but no details were given about where he was killed, and the name is not precise.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Namer al-Shukri was killed in alleged Russian raids. However it said he was “the military commander of Aleppo district in the Islamic movement of Fajr al-Sham and a member of the office Media in the city“.

It went on to add that “several others including officers were injured when Russian warplanes bombed the headquarter of the movement in Ain al-Tal are north of Aleppo city.”

Houran-Ibrahim Alzoubi also said that Nimr-Karim ‘Abu Shukri was a military commander.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abo Shukri
Adult male killed
Name unknown
Age unknown

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS582

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

كفر خاشر, Kafr Kasher, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.54872, 37.06508 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and ten civilians died in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafr Kasher, according to local sources – though some didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

Shaam News Network reported that there had been dozens of Russia raids launched on February 9th on Aleppo, leaving more than three dead “in a number of areas Kfar Kheshr and Kafrkalbeen in violent raids and rocket spatial cluster in addition to dozens of air raids on Tal Rifa’at, Mare’ and Ain Da’na.”  In a second report activists told SNN that “Russian Aviation committed a horrible massacre yesterday in the town of Kafr Khasher in northern Aleppo after targeting several buildings intense rocket explosion turned to rubble above warheads inhabitants.“

The source added that six civilians were still under the rubble because rescue teams had been “unable to lift them given the weakness of the available resources and the continued bombardment.”

The White Helmets reported that “warplanes” (they did not say who they belonged to) carried out five raids “targeting the two villages of Kafr Kalbeen and Kafr Khasher in the countryside of Izaz which led to the death of 20 people most of them women and children and great destruction of buildings.” They added that there had been great destruction to buildings. However, the date of the report appeared to be one day out from the incident, so further research is required.

A second White Helmets report (dated February 12th) said that “after a job that lasted three days all martyrs have been pulled from under the rubble in the town of Kafr Khasher in the northern countryside by the civil defence teams in the centres of Tal Rifa’at, Izaz and Mare’.” They said that the rescue work had to stop several times due to repeated airstrikes on the town.

Halab News reported that Russia had carried out strikes on Kafr Kasher, as did Smart News, which posted a graphic video showing child casualties from raids on “Tal Rifaat and the villages of Kafr Kalbeen and Kafr Hasher Ayn Degnah”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets rescue a body from the rubble following an alleged strike on Kafr Kasher, Feb 9th (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

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 10
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS583

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

جبل الزاوية (ابلين), Jabal al Zawiya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.71345, 36.52933 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and nine civilians including one child died and at least 15 more were injured in an airstrike on Jabal al Zawiya, according to local sources. While most alleged this was the work of Russia, one said the regime was responsible.

Al Souria said that Russia was responsible, putting the death toll at six with at least 15 more injured. However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the Assad regime, putting the death toll at five.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that six civilians including a child were killed when “warplanes” launched a raid on areas of al-Ftirah village in Jabal al Zawiya. It did not specifically say that the warplanes were Russian.

Six victims of a Russian strike were named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies:

A further two victims and an unidentified were listed, again from a Russian strike..

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Jamil Mukhtar Theljeh
Age unknown male Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Mahmoud Khaled al-Hassan
Age unknown male Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Wadah Abu ElKhaysh
Age unknown male Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Bilal Abdullah Ibrahim
Child male Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Mahmoud Khaled el Khalaf
Age unknown male Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Shahid
Age unknown male Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies, Son of Hisham Hallak killed
Hisham Fitrawi
Age unknown male killed
Hisham Abdu Khallouf
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (1 child1 woman0–7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

For February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported that a “Su-24 bomber destroyed the ISIS commabd center in the Idlib province.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (1 child1 woman0–7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (5) [ collapse]