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

RS190

Incident date

November 25, 2015

Location

أعزاز‎, A`zaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.579644, 37.033206 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight non-combatants including a child were reported killed in alleged Russian warplanes targeted trucks in the town of Azaz.

Russian planes launched several rockets on a civilian area, hitting freight trucks 2km from Bab Al Salameh on the Syrian-Turkish border. The Syrian Network said the vehicles specialised in transporting foodstuff to and from the crossing, and that no less than eight freight cars were destroyed.

Majed Al Halabi, a local media activist in Izaz, gave SN4HR his testimony: “The Russian warplane hovered around next to Bab Al Salama crossing point then it fired two vacuum rockets on the gathering of freight vehicles. I knew that the shelling was Russian due to the FSA observatories that pick up signals between a warplane and the military base. The shelling ignited a fire in the freight cars that gathered on the north-western side of the city. The civil defence teams arrived and pulled out the victims’ bodies from under the rubble and transported them to Ezzaz National Hospital. The critical cases were transported to Turkey’s  hospitals.”

SN4HR named three victims

Also, VDC has named the following fatalities, all adult males.

Russia has accepted responsibility for the attack though not the civilian casualties: “Messages of some foreign media concerning the alleged engagement of a column of trucks of a “humanitarian convoy” from Turkey near the border-crossing point Bab Al-Salam by the Russian aircraft are also nothing but stovepiping. It is to be stressed that the photos and videos published in the Internet:

* first, do not show any craters of exploded munitions;

* second, do not feature any fragmentations, which could damage all the trucks, as a result of strikes.

* finally, there are no remains of the mere munitions.

That is why they are advised not to pose convoys with ammunition for militants active to the north of Aleppo as “humanitarian help”. By the way, the Turkish party had not given any notice concerning delivering of any humanitarian convoy in this area. Aside from the fact that any humanitarian convoy is specially marked.”

As an Al Jazeera reporter on the scene noted, Russia’s attack may have had a political motive: “The raid focused on the industrial area which according to the civil defence we spoke to earlier, has led to critical injuries and the destruction of several trucks that were here. This is the first time that the border area has been targeted and it has come after Turkey downed a Russian plane in the Lattakia countryside yesterday.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Adult male (22 years old) from Taqtad killed
Adult male (19 years) of Dara Aza killed

The victims were named as:

Age unknown named by SN4HR - 15 years old from Al Raqqa killed
Adult male named by SN4HR killed
Age unknown named by SN4HR killed
Age unknown male named by VDC killed
Age unknown named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Burning trucks in the aftermath of an alleged Russian strike at Izzaz, November 25th (via SN4HR)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Izzaz, November 25th (via ShaamNews SNN)
  • The moments immediately after the strike (via Izzaz Media Office)
  • 'Azazaz - Russian warplanes launched intensive air strikes on towns in the northern countryside of Aleppo, resulting in deaths and injuries. The shelling targeted the town of A'zaz on the Syrian-Turkish border. The raids also included the towns of Hreitan, Oban, Hayyan and Bianun. Report: Amr Halabi' (via north press)
  • 'Dead and wounded by Russian raids on Aazaz countryside, Aleppo' (via Al Jazeera TV)

Geolocation notes (4) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention an airstrike targeting a convoy of trucks parked at a facility in western A’zaz (أعزاز‎). After investigating audio-visual material from sources, we narrowed this location to a strip of tarmac just south of the city’s Agricultural Bank, for which the exact coordinates are: 36.579644, 37.033206.

  • A screenshot from an on-scene video shows men walking toward the burning trucks.

    Imagery:
    Shaam Network

  • An image from the scene shows the trucks burning at the facility.

    Imagery:
    North Press

  • Satellite imagery shows the features marked in the on-scene pictures. Note that feature F refers to the location where the pavement of the trucking facility ends and the dirt road begins.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Overhead imagery shows 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

Confirmed in its report for November 23rd-26th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Incident Code

RS188

Incident date

November 22, 2015

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Center listed one adult male civilian, a Palestinian national, as killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Douma.

However, the VDC listed seven further civilians killed that day in Douma “due to regime`s army forces shelling.” And the Syrian Observatory cites the Assad regime as being responsible for the event.

 

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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Incident Code

RS186

Incident date

November 21, 2015

Location

حي القصيلة, Qosaileh, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19559, 37.16512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and six non-combatants, including two or more children, were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Qosaileh, according to The White Helmets and the Violations Documentation Center. The Halab News Network posted a video showing the destruction of houses and other buildings, as a team of White Helmets searched for survivors.

VDC has been named four victims, and additionally, the Syrian Human Rights Committee called the fifth victim as unidentified.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Yahiya Hussein Mazik
Child male 4 years old killed
Abd al Rahman Hussein Mazik
Child male 12 years old killed
From al-Mzayek family 3
Adult male killed
From al-Mzayek family 4
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (2–3 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
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Rescuers examine scene of AN alleged Russian airstrike in Qosaileh, November 21st (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Qosaileh, Nov 21st (via @Mojahedaboaljod tweet)
  • The White Helmets attend the scene of the alleged Russian airstrike on Qosaileh , Nov 21st

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah, and Deir ez-Zor.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (2–3 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
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS187

Incident date

November 21, 2015

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

Seven civilians were reported killed in an airstrike on Al Bab by Russia or the Assad regime.

According to the Syrian Observatory, the deaths occurred after a bakery was struck.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • 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 city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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 confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist 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
    7
  • 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

RS185

Incident date

November 21, 2015

Location

نوى, Nawa, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.89044, 36.0399 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two named civilians were killed in an alleged Russian and also claimed that the Assad regime was responsible for the attack on Da’ara Street in Nawa, Da’ara governorate.

The Violation Documentation Center in Syria named the two victims, and they were both from Kafr Shams.

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

Summary

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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of alleged regime strikes on Nawa, Nov 21st (via ShaamNetwork S.N.N)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A photo of the corpse of Yehya al-Sadi (via VDC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah, and Deir ez-Zor.” It made no mention of strikes in Da’ara.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS183

Incident date

November 21, 2015

Location

خان السبل, Khan Subul, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.754949, 36.756941 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least five civilians, including two women and two children, were killed in alleged Russian evening airstrikes that targeted Khan Subul.

Step TV later interviewed an eyewitness, an unnamed boy who notes: “A plane hit here and hit our neighbour’s home, so they were martyred. This is where it happened; it was Russian planes.”

The VDC (which blamed the deaths on unspecified ‘airstrikes’) has named the five of the victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult female named by VDC killed
Adult male named by VDC killed
Child male named by VDC killed
Adult female named by VDC killed

The victims were named as:

Child male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 8
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

  • Footage of the White Helmets rescuing victim of the strike on Khan Subul, Nov 21st (via Syrian Civil Defence in Idlib Governorate)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian airstrike on Khan Subul, Nov 21st (via step news)
  • Destruction following the airstrike on Khan Subul, Nov 21st (via Khan al Sabil facebook page)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian airstrike on Khan Subul, Nov 21st (via Khan al Sabil facebook page)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah, and Deir ez-Zor provinces.” Videos showed at least six separate targets in Idlib governorate struck by Russia.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 8
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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

RS184

Incident date

November 21, 2015

Location

حي طريق السد, Tareeq al Sadd, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.61119, 36.115947 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Ten non-combatants, including five women and four children, were killed in an airstrike on the Tareeq al Sadd (Dam Road) neighborhood in Dara’a, according to multiple reports.

The Union of Hama Rebels stated that one child, Limar Mirzo al-Teani, was killed in the alleged raid, while Shaam News Network posted a video depicting the dead bodies of a number of children. Many of those who died were from just two families.

Almost all sources blame Russia. However Assad regime aircraft were also filmed over the area that day,

Ten victims were named by the VDC (which accused by Russia)

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (9)

Adult female named by VDC killed
Adult female named by VDC killed
Adult female named by VDC killed
Adult female named by VDC killed
Adult female named by VDC killed
Child female named by VDC killed
Child female named by VDC killed
Adult male named by VDC killed
Child female a three year old girl who died “due to her wounds sustained by Russian air forces shelling killed

The victims were named as:

Child male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (4 children5 women1 man)
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • A video showing the anger of one of the people of the city of Daraa following an airstrike on Nov 21st (via S.N.N)
  • The moment a warplane sytruck Tareeq al Sadd, Nov 21st (via S.N.N)
  • The child Limar Hussein Ta’ani (via The Union of Hama’s Rebels)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Pictures of Reemas Mairzo al Taani a three-year-old girl who died ‘due to her wounds sustained by Russian air forces shelling' (via vdc)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic scenes of child casualties following a strike on Tareeq al Sadd, Nov 21st (via Nabaa)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

No mention was made by Russia of strikes in Dara’a governorate for November 21st-23rd 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (4 children5 women1 man)
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS182

Incident date

November 21, 2015

Location

حي الحلوانية, Al-Bab Road (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.207438, 37.1990204 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two non-combatants including two women and two female children were reported killed, and four civilians injured, in alleged Russian airstrikes with vacuum missiles on the Bab Road neighbourhood, according to The White Helmets and the Syrian Observatory.

Reporting was confused, with the death toll ranging from one to seven. Mada also claimed the Assad regime was responsible for the attack, while others simply reported unknown aircraft.

VDC has named one of the victims as a member of the Bakeer family, and another Unidentified victim.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2–4 children0–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Destruction of Bab Road neighbourhood following an alleged Russian strike, November 21st (via White Helmets)
  • Scenes from the alleged Russian strike on on the Bab Road neighbourhood, Nov 21st (via AMC)
  • The destruction caused by Russian air force in Tariq Al-Bab neighborhood in Adlib (via Qassioun new agency)
  • Destruction left by warplanes in Tareeq al Bab, Nov 21st (via HNN facebook post)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on on the Bab Road neighbourhood, Nov 21st (via Aleppo eyewitness facebook post)
  • A Syrian local aid worker in the vicinity of the airstrike location (via HNN facebook post)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist 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
    2
  • (2–4 children0–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]