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

RS257

Incident date

December 11, 2015

Location

القصابية, Al Qassabiya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.4654453, 36.4964532 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and eight civilians including three children were killed and more than 20 injured in an airstrike on Al Qassabiya – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Shaam News Network reported that Russian warplanes struck a centre for bread distribution in the town and that survivors feared a repeat attack because warplanes were “still circling the skies of the town.“

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime.

Three victims were named by the VDC. They also reported one Unidentified male child.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Abdo al-Sheik
Child male killed
ٍSami Abdo al-Sami al-Sayed
Child male killed
Hussain Aamer Efarah
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (3 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic images of children killed by the alleged Russian and Syrian Regime airstrikes. (via, The Youth of the Syrian Revolution)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More graphic images of children killed in the airstrikes. (via, Baladi Media Network)
  • A graphic video of a decapitated casualty in Al Qassabiya. Was originally a video but it has now been removed. Only a screenshot remains. (via, Ala’ al Deen al Hamwi tweet)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic video of a wounded child in a medical facility following a contested airstrike. (via, SNN)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Qassabiya (القصابية), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.4654453, 36.4964532. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

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
  • (3 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS255

Incident date

December 10, 2015

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

Three civilians including one woman and her two children were killed in an airstrike on Baza’a – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Violations Documentation Centre listed three unidentified non-combatants as killed in Russian shelling.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, however, blamed the regime.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Baza’a, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.383201, 37.565723. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS254

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

كفر زيتة, Kafr Zita, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.37425, 36.6033 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three adult males were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Zita.

The victims were named by the VDC.

While most described the trio as civilians, one tweet said they were rebel fighters with the group Ajnad al Sham.

Reporting remains confused, with multiple alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafr Zita between December 9th and 12th which resulted in a likely total of six civilian deaths.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Ahmad Mohammad al-Aboud
Adult male killed
Mustafa Emad al-Aboud
Adult male killed
Mahmoud Ahmad al-Aboud
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Video with sound footage of airstrikes falling on Kafr Zita. (via, Revolutionary Command Counter)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Deceased body of Ahmad Mohammad Al A’bboud, following an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime airstrike. (via, The Syrian revolution in the town of Kafr Zita)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of three adult males. This tweet suggests that the deceased are Islamist Militants. The tweet states that "Ajnad al Sham" announces the death, which is the name of an Islamist Militant Group. (via, Husain)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Kafr Zita (كفر زيتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.37425, 36.6033. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS253

Incident date

December 10, 2015

Location

الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807607, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One 30-year-old male civilian, Mohammad Muffed Razzouq, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Salheen, according to the Violations Documentation Centre.

No further details are available at the present time.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Muffed Razzouq
30 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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
Official source

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS252

Incident date

December 9, 2015

Location

كفر نايا, Kafr Naya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4201, 37.07461 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three children and a civilian man were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Naya, Aleppo, according to the Violations Documentation Centre.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that three civilians were killed by Russian warplanes but listed all the victims as children.

The VDC named two victims and also included one Unidentified – child, male.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Aadel Assaf
Child male killed
Hussain Aadel Assaf
Child male killed
Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim Al Abed
50 years old male Named as the fourth victim by Syria 2011. killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

  • Footage of the destruction to the local area in the aftermath of the incident. (via, Syria2011)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of two children killed in Kafra Naya. (via, Mamoun al Khateeb tweet)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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

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

Sources (7) [ collapse]

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
Official source

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

RS251

Incident date

December 9, 2015

Location

كفر زيتة, Kafr Zita, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.37425, 36.6033 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male civilian, Mohammad Ahmad al-Alayan, was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Zita, according to the Union of Hama Rebels and the Violations Documentation Centre.

Reporting remains confused, with multiple alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafr Zita between December 9th and 12th which resulted in a likely total of six civilian deaths.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Ahmad al-Alayan
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mohammad Ahmad al-Alayan, adult male, killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on December 9th 2015. (via, VDC)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Kafr Zita (كفر زيتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.37425, 36.6033. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS249

Incident date

December 9, 2015

Location

حمورية, Hamouriya, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.52777, 36.38582 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twenty-three civilians including eight children and one woman were reported killed and 20 injured in an airstrike on a residential area of Hamouriya, according to multiple sources. Reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Shaam News Network initially said 14 non-combatants died in a “massacre” by Russian warplanes. It later put the death toll at 18. The White Helmets posted videos and images depicting fires and destruction. It initially listed 18 dead, with the final list rising to 23. The civil defence group did not say who was responsible for the raid.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights was alone in blaming the regime, reporting that at least 12 civilians were killed including four children when two missiles hit several shops.

The  White Helmets’ released a final list with names including one unidentified person.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ibtisam Abdel Nasser al-Khatib
Child killed
Raghad Abdel Nasser al-Khatib
2 years old killed

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Al Kassir
Child male killed
Taka Sarya al Zein
Child killed
Hadi Darkish
Child killed
Abdel Nasser al-Khatib
Child male killed
Mayssa Wahba
Age unknown killed
Islam Al Hassan
Child killed
Yamen Amin Abbas
Child killed
Ibrahim al-Shami
Age unknown killed
Said Abdel Al Jawad
Age unknown killed
Ismail Mohammed al-Khatib
Age unknown killed
Saeed Ismail al-Khati
Age unknown killed
Mohammed Wasim Al Kharbotal
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Mou’een Al Zein
Age unknown male killed
Khalid Saeed Al Zoubi
Age unknown killed
Mohamed Mohamed Hadida
Age unknown male killed
Mohamed Mohamed Al Outani
Age unknown male killed
Tahssin Al  Durra
Age unknown killed
Samer Safayya
Age unknown killed
Jalal A’llam
Age unknown killed
Khalid Al Sheikha
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    23
  • (8 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    White Helmets fighting fires in Hamouriya. (via, White Helmets)
  • Civilians being rescued by the White Helmets. (via White Helmets)
  • The moment the airstrike occurred on December 9th in Hamouriya. (via, White Helmets)
  • On the ground moments after the airstrike fell. (via, White Helmets)
  • Fires being put out after contested airstrikes. (via, White Helmets)
  • An interview with a local civilian. (via, Hamouriya Media Centre)
  • Graphic image of a deceased child. (via SNN).
  • Fires which broke out following a contested airstrike. (via SNN)
  • A body dragged from the rubble in Hamouriya. (via, SNN)
  • Injured civilian being loaded into a truck following an airstrike in Hamouriya. (via, SNN)
  • An injured civilian being carried from the scene. (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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
    23
  • (8 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (17) [ collapse]