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

RS358

Incident date

January 9, 2016

Location

دير جمال, Dayr al Jamil, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4451, 37.02787 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two adult male civilians, named by the Violations Documentation Center as Abdulkareem al-Halabi and Abd al Salam Saeid, were killed in an alleged Russian dawn airstrike on Dayr Jamal, according to reports.

SNN reported that Russian planes carried out “a massacre” launching air raids “on the towns of Tel Huraytan, Tal Rifa’at, Deir Jamal and the regions of the English grave [Qabr Inglisi] and Assya and the surrounding areas of the liberated airport of Managh which led to the fall of one martyr in Deir Jamal and wounded in Huraytan.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS359

Incident date

January 9, 2016

Location

سفلانية, Suflaniyah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.40929, 37.57825 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including three women and two children were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Saflaneh, according to the Violations Documentation Centre.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Child female killed
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children3 women)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children3 women)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS360

Incident date

January 9, 2016

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

One civilian was reported killed and several others injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Bab, according to the Shaam News Network.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS352

Incident date

January 8, 2016

Location

حزرما, Hazarma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.51718, 36.48874 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including one child were killed in airstrikes on Hazarma, according to multiple sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attacks were the work of the Russians or the Assad regime.

The White Helmets reported on two raids by “warplanes before sunset” which targeted a civilian home, leading to the death of three non-combatants (“an entire family“), including a child. Many more were injured.

Shaam News reported that Russian warplanes carried out two airstrikes using high explosive missiles targeting a residential building. Activists told SNN that civil defence teams managed to retrieve three dead people, including a father and his daughter – displaced from the town of al Ibada – from the rubble. A third person was also killed, from the town of Qasmiyeh.

SNN concluded their report by saying “the town of Hazarma is one of the most crowded places, after many families flocked to the town to escape the fighting in Al Marj region and is home to a lot of families displaced from other areas in the eastern Ghouta.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Douma Revolution however, regime warplanes killed three civilians (one a female child) when they bombed areas of Hazarma.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Zahra Zaheer Mu’ti
Child female named by the White Helmets killed
Zaheer Mu’ti
Age unknown female named by the White Helmets killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Darwish
Age unknown named by the White Helmets killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Damascus governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS350

Incident date

January 7, 2016

Location

أبو طلطل, Abu Taltal, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.33714, 37.52333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four named civilians from one family including a child died when Russian warplanes allegedly fired missiles on the town of Abou Taltal in Aleppo governorate.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult male VDC has named the following as having died “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed
Child female VDC has named the following as having died “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed
Adult male VDC has named the following as having died “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed
Adult male VDC has named the following as having died “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child3 men)
  • 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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child3 men)
  • 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

Incident Code

RS351

Incident date

January 7, 2016

Location

سفلانية, Suflaniyah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.40929, 37.57825 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six non-combatants – three named women and three children – died when Russian warplanes allegedly fired missiles on the village of al Saflaneh in the eastern suburbs of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

The Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies additionally named Sweilem Ahmed, a child, as also having died from “the indiscriminate shelling of the Russian Air Force.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Child female “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed
Child male “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed

The victims were named as:

Adult female “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed
Adult female “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed
Adult female “due to Russian air forces shelling“ killed
Sweilem Ahmed
Child named by The Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (3 children3 women)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (3 children3 women)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS349

Incident date

January 7, 2016

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twelve civilians were killed including two to three women and two to four children and  as many as 85 injured in airstrikes on Arbeen, according to multiple sources – although reports were conflicted as to whether Russian or Assad regime forces were responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 18 non-combatants died including women and children – with tens injured – in regime airstrikes and shelling in Eastern Ghouta. Among the casualties were four children and two women “killed in the aerial bombardment and shelling by the regime forces which targeted cities of Arbeen and Zamalka.”

However, a subsequent SOHR report blamed “warplanes believed to be Russian“, adding that they killed at least 10 people, including two women in “intense bombing“.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said regime shelling claimed the lives of at least 10 civilians, including one child and two women, adding that “even the rescue and aid teams were targeted with a Russian raid“. According to Shaam News Network, however, Russian warplanes killed 12 and injured more than 80.

The White Helmets published several reports on the incident but referred only to “warplanes” carrying out up to 13 raids with vacuum missiles which left 12 dead and up to 85 injured, including women and children, but said that the number of dead was likely to rise due to the severity of injuries. They added that there had been great destruction of civilian neighbourhoods.

The White Helmets as also named one unidentified victim.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Ala’a Sleiman Al Najjar
Age unknown named by the White Helmets killed
Nadia Mamdouh Al Najjar
Age unknown named by the White Helmets killed
Abd Al Rahman Adnan Al Najjar
Age unknown named by the White Helmets killed
Mohammad Adnan Al Najar
Age unknown male named by the White Helmets killed

The victims were named as:

Sleiman Ramadan
Age unknown named by the White Helmets killed
Ameer Abdo Al Marji
Age unknown named by the White Helmets killed
Mohammad Deeb Omar Al Bakouni
Age unknown male named by the White Helmets killed
Mahmoud Al Kahhala
Age unknown male named by the White Helmets killed
Mohammad Omar Rihan
Age unknown male named by the White Helmets killed
Ahmad Al Harbawi
Age unknown named by the White Helmets killed
Jihad Al Sheikh
Child named by the White Helmets killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • (2–4 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    80–85
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic footage of deceased bodies and injured civilians being taken from the scene into an ambulance. (via, The White Helmets)
  • Smoke rises from the scene of the incident in Arbeen. (via, The White Helmets)
  • Chaos as White Helmets run to the scene to rescue civilians in Arbeen. (via, The White Helmets)
  • White Helmets leave their van to make it to the buildings on foot due to rubble blocking the roads. Burning buildings can be seen at the end of the footage. (via, The White Helmets)
  • A photo of the alleged plane which dropped the airstrikes on Arbeen. (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Damascus governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • (2–4 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    80–85
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS344

Incident date

January 6, 2016

Location

بزاعة, Baza'a, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.383201, 37.565723 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight or nine non-combatants including 3 women and 4 children were killed and seven others injured in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes on a western neighbourhood in the town of Baza’a.

Citing an anonymous source, Syria News Desk noted: “Russian warplanes carried out three raids on the centre and outskirts of the city, killing nine civilians, including women and children, in addition to injuring more than ten others were wounded.”

While the Syrian Network also blamed Russia, others like Al Jisr only mentioned unspecified warplanes. Alaan TV reported that Russian strikes were accompanied by regime “shelling with heavy artillery and rocket launchers on the town, from sites 20 kilometres south of Baza’a.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (4 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–10
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A news bulletin documenting the riads. (via, Al Jisir TV)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 11 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of 10 days of the year 2016, the Russian aircraft have performed 311 combat sorties engaging 1097 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa, and Raqqah provinces.“

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
  • (4 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–10
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]