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

RS200

Incident date

November 27, 2015

Location

أعزاز‎, A`zaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.586002, 37.034333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians, including one to two children, were reported killed and six injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Azaz, according to multiple sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that three non-combatants, including one child, died when Russian warplanes launched several rockets targeting the road leading to the border crossing point with Turkey. A pro-regime tweet instead claimed that “Russian warplanes raids target a convoy coming from Turkey to support the terrorists of al Nusra Front via Izaz in the northern Aleppo countryside.”

The White Helmets put the death toll at five and said the victims were from the same family and included two children. However, in their Facebook post, they stated that the area was attacked by “warplanes“, not specifying any nationality.

The VDC named the two victims and another man as an unidentified.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights listed one additional victim by name.

Halab News named Mohammad Hussein Barhawi, who it said was an FSA fighter.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male named by VDC killed
Child female named by VDC (15 years) killed
Adult male named by NS4RH killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • 'Russian enemy planes bomb Izaz on the Syrian Turkish border' (via Mohammad Abduallah Sleiman tweet)
  • Burning trucks in the aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Izaz, November 27th (via White Helmets)
  • Footage of the moment an alleged Russian airstrike hit Azaz, Nov 27th (via north press)
  • The martyr of Jamila Abu Hussein Al - Ghabash was martyred by the Russian bombing on the city of Aazaz (via Jasimine tweet)
  • Mohammad Barho (via VDC)
  • a Syrian girl her head destroyed as a result of the Russian bombing on the border areas in the town of Izaz (via Shareef Sarmada tweet)
  • A picture of Russian warplanes raids target a convoy coming from Turkey to support the terrorists of al Nusra Front (via Izaz in the northern Aleppo countryside)

Geolocation notes (5) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention an airstrike targeting several vehicles in western A’zaz (أعزاز‎). After investigating audio-visual material from sources, we narrowed this location to a highway west of the city, for which the exact coordinates are: 36.586002, 37.034333.

  • The vehicles were struck next to the electricity pylon seen here.

    Imagery:
    Aleppo White Helmets

  • A victim is removed from the scene of the airstrike, also showing a dirt road and two buildings.

    Imagery:
    North Press

  • Witness video shows the road on which the vehicles were targeted. Note that feature D refers to the small road that turns onto the main highway.

    Imagery:
    North Press

  • Overhead imagery shows the features marked in the media from witnesses.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Satellite imagery showing the exact location of the airstrike.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia reported that “In the course of the last week, November 26 – December 4, the Russian aircraft have performed 431 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase making pinpoint strikes on 1458 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS197

Incident date

November 27, 2015

Location

القريتين, Al Qaryatayn, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.229890, 37.238245 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three non-combatants including two women were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on a farm 7km from the city of Qaryatain. The Syrian Network for Human Rights described the location as providing shelter to internally displaced civilians.

The VDC named two victims, and  SN4HR named the third victim who was named byrom Haraween in Homs

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult female named by vdc killed
Adult female named by vdc killed
Age unknown male named by SN4RH killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 women1 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 (8) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town Al Qaryatayn (القريتين), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.229890, 37.238245. 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

Russia reported that “In the course of the last week, November 26 – December 4, the Russian aircraft have performed 431 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase making pinpoint strikes on 1458 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 women1 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS198

Incident date

November 27, 2015

Location

جسر الشغور, Jisr al Shughour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81425, 36.319812 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The VDC and others identified an adult female civilian as having been killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shughour. Two additional non-combatants including one child were reportedly injured.

Local media activist Tariq Abd Aluhak posted what he said were pictures of rescuers after the event.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult female named by vdc killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shughour, Nov 27th (via north press)
  • 'Zeinab Orafli martyred and Walid Hiraki and his son injured following Russian air raids on the town a short while ago' (via Coordination Committee for Jisr al Shoughour)
  • 'Jisr al Shoughour: Zeinab Orafli martyred and two others wounded after Russian raids on the town' (viaTariq Abd aluhak tweet)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia reported that “In the course of the last week, November 26 – December 4, the Russian aircraft have performed 431 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase making pinpoint strikes on 1458 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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

Incident Code

RS196 CS151

Incident date

November 26, 2015

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Five to eight civilians including four children were reported killed, and 10 injured, when Russian warplanes allegedly launched several rockets on Hetten School in Raqqa, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights. Ara News also blamed Russia.

Syria Press Report (citing the Syrian Observatory) placed the death toll at 12 and said the attack was by ‘warplanes unknown.’ Eldorar blamed the regime. And BBC Arabic said only that ‘international air strikes’ hit Raqqa, noting that “It is not yet known who carried out the air strikes on the capital of the “Islamic state”, which is exposed to a campaign of international airstrikes, particularly after Paris and the bombing of a Russian aircraft in the Egyptian Sinai attack.”

Monitors later named two victims and 3-6 victims unnamed, including four children

In their January 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they may have been responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child named by SNHR killed
Adult named by SNHR killed
Child killed
Child killed
Child killed
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 12
  • (5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child victims of an alleged Russian airstrike on Ar Raqqah, November 26th (via SN4HR)
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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia reports that “On November 23-26, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed 134 combat sorties engaging 449 objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah and Deir-ez-Zor provinces.”

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SEV007784
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 3, 2020
  • November 26, 2015, in Raqqah, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2882/CS151 37SEV007784

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 12
  • (5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS194

Incident date

November 26, 2015

Location

القريتين, Al Qaryatayn, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.229890, 37.238245 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male civilian was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Qaryatain according to the Violations Documentation Center. Most other sources instead said both the Assad regime and Russian aircraft participated in the event.

Indicating the chaos on the ground, QNN6 reported: “Assad’s gangs, supported by Russia… are bombing the town of al Qaryatain with artillery and air raids  in order to control it amid violent clashes around the west of the city with Islamic State.” Damascus Now also reported airstrikes by both Russia and the regime. However pro-regime sites said the airstrikes were the work of the Syrian Air Force

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town Al Qaryatayn (القريتين), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.229890, 37.238245. 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

Russia reports that “On November 23-26, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed 134 combat sorties engaging 449 objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah and Deir-ez-Zor provinces.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS195

Incident date

November 26, 2015

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reported killed and five injured – including children – in an alleged Russian airstrike on Baghdad Street in Hraytan, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

According to Smart News “Russian warplanes carried out four raids with rockets on the town which left three dead and seven wounded, including a woman, who was taken  to a nearby field hospital.”

Monitors named the three victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male named by vdc killed
Adult male named by vdc killed
Adult male named by vdc killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • A damaged car following an alleged Russian airstrike on Baghdad Street in Hraytan, Nov 26th (via SNHR)
  • The aftermath of the shelling on Baghdad Street in Hraytan, Nov 26th (via SNHR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child following the alleged Russian airstrike on Baghdad Street in Hraytan, Nov 26th (via SNHR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child following an alleged Russian airstrike on Baghdad Street, Hraytan, November 26th (via SN4HR)
  • Footage of the aftermath of the alleged Russian airstrike on Baghdad Street in Hraytan, Nov 26th (via ShaamNetwork S.N.N)
  • The moment an alleged Russian airstrike Baghdad Street in Hraytan, Nov 26th (via Shahba Press Agency)
  • The moments immediately after the alleged Russian airstrike on Baghdad Street in Hraytan, Nov 26th (via City of Hreitan)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mahmoud Khallouf (via vdc)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia reports that “On November 23-26, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed 134 combat sorties engaging 449 objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah and Deir-ez-Zor provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS192

Incident date

November 26, 2015

Location

سرمدا, Sarmada, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.214950, 36.712220 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Zaitonmag, Russian aircraft carried out a raid on Sarmada on the Turkish border, “targeting a garage of relief trucks which has led to anonymous martyrs and two people slightly injured.

The Syrian Network also reported the event, saying the attack by warplanes destroyed eight trucks and a water tank and killed one person. It also cited ‘Shareef’, a media activist from the town: “The shelling targeted a civilian area on the international highway between Sarmada and Bab Al Hawa crossing point where there were a group of fuel stations, warehouses and freight vehicles. Russian warplanes launched the airstrike, and I was able to differentiate it from the Syrian shelling.”

 

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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that the strike hit a location along the highway between the Bab Al Hawa crossing (منفذ باب الهوى) and the village of Sarmada (سرمدا). The coordinates for the road between Bab Al Hawa crossing and Sarmada are: 36.214950, 36.712220. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • International highway M45 between Sarmada and Bab Al Hawa. Imagery: Google Earth

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia reports that “On November 23-26, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed 134 combat sorties engaging 449 objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah and Deir-ez-Zor provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS193 CS152

Incident date

November 26, 2015

Location

الخفسة, Khafsa, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.23333, 38.01667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians were killed and several injured in an alleged Russian, Assad regime or Coalition airstrikes on Al Khafasa.

According to Shaam News Network, significant damage was caused to a water purification plant in the village, after seven raids. It said the plant provided water to most of the Aleppo neighbourhoods. It was additionally claimed that “Russian planes also targeted the water pumping plant near the town of Masskana.” Radio Al Kul and the Syrian News Desk also blamed Russia.

Smart News instead described the attack as the work of the Assad regime: “Seven civilians were killed this morning, in two regime raids targeting the drinking water treatment plant in the village of Al Khafsa east of Aleppo, according to our correspondent.

Confusing matters further, the official regime site Sana and pro-regime site Almjhar blamed the Coalition: “American planes targeted Daesh militants in al Khafsa in Aleppo yesterday which caused problems at the water plant. Work has started to repair the equipment.”

In their January 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia reports that “On November 23-26, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed 134 combat sorties engaging 449 objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah and Deir-ez-Zor provinces.”

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
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDA116103
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 3, 2020
  • November 26, 2015, in Khafsa, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 2883/CS152 37SDA116103

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]