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

RS176 CS148

Incident date

November 20, 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

A number of sources reported that an adult woman from Soran in Hama governorate was killed in an alleged Coalition airstrike on Raqqah.

Violations Documentation has published the name & photo of the victim which as said he was killed due to the coalition air force’s shelling. 

In their January 2020 civilian casualty assessment, 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.

The victims were named as:

Yasin Khaled al Nour
Adult female named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Yasin Khaled al-Nouri (Picture courtesy of VDC)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city Ar Raqqah (الرقة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.949949, 39.007363. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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 20, 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. 2881/CS148 37SEV007784

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No Coalition airstrikes were reported for Syria on November 19th-20th 2015.

CJTF-OIR confirmed that for November 20th-21st 2015, “Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint.“

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS177

Incident date

November 20, 2015

Location

ميادين, Al Mayadeen, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.01982, 40.45154 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Violations Documentation Center one adult male civilian and one woman or girl were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Mayadeen.

Local media activist Hussein al Ahmad reported that “One of them targeted Al Quds mosque in the town which led to its destruction.” Photos show a severely damaged building.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Manhal al-Badawi
Adult male named by VDC killed
Areej al-Najem
Adult female named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (0–1 children0–1 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
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A picture of the aftermath of an alleged Russian strike on Mayadeen, Nov 20th (via Syria 24)
  • The body of a man killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Mayadeen Nov 20th (via All4Syria)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Mayadeen, Nov 2oth (via All 4 Syria)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia reported that “On November 20, the ships of the Caspian flotilla performed launches of 18 cruise missiles against 7 targets in the Raqqah, Idlib and Aleppo provinces. All the aims were hit.” It added that “29 aircraft of long-range and bomber aviation made strikes from the zone of the Caspian Sea,” though gave no details of the areas targeted.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (0–1 children0–1 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
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS178

Incident date

November 20, 2015

Location

مرعيان, Mareian, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.74032, 36.56406 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four children were among up to five civilians reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Mareian, according to the Violations Documentation Center and the Syrian Network for Human Rights. The Network stated that two rockets fell on the town and that two houses were completely destroyed. Jisr TV placed the death toll at five, blaming the attack on Russian missiles fired from Lattakia.

Smart News interviewed an unnamed resident shortly after the attack, who stated: “Since this morning the regime, or Russia and the Assad regime, started targeting various villages in al-Zawiya mountain and according to residents they were ballistic missiles. Whether fired from boats or by planes we don’t know. In our village, two missiles fell which led to the complete destruction of three houses and caused a number of martyrs and injured. Everyone watched the missile flying 200 meters overhead before it fell.“

The VDC has named the victims.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Lamyaa Ahmad Khuzam
Child female Named by VDC killed
Abdo Hsain Khuzam
Child male Named by VDC killed
Ahmad Mohammad Khuzam
Child male Named by VDC killed

The victims were named as:

Hsain Ahmad
Child male Named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (4 children)
  • 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 Syrian Network for Human Rights gathered fragments from missiles allegedly fired by alleged Russian warplanes on Mareian, November 20th (via SNHR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia reported that “On November 20, the ships of the Caspian flotilla performed launches of 18 cruise missiles against 7 targets in the Raqqah, Idlib and Aleppo provinces. All the aims were hit.” It added that “29 aircraft of long-range and bomber aviation made strikes from the zone of the Caspian Sea,” though gave no details of the areas targeted.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (4 children)
  • 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

RS169

Incident date

November 19, 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

Fourteen or more non-combatants were killed and dozens injured in the shelling of Eastern Ghouta.

Since the attack reportedly involved both airstrikes including cluster munitions (by either Russian or Assad regime aircraft), as well as ground artillery fire from pro-government forces, attribution for the deaths remains unclear.

According to SNN, the “‘Sharia public body’ in eastern Ghouta announced the cancellation of Friday prayers in all the mosques of the city due to the violent bombardment the city is suffering and to preserve the lives of Muslims.

“Despite news of the agreement of a truce between Assad forces and rebels in eastern Ghouta as a goodwill gesture, the city suffered heavy shelling with all types of weapons, rockets from Assad forces on Thursday, in addition to several raids by  Russian aircraft.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ghaleb al-Baghdadi
Adult male killed
Yousef Smoad
Adult male killed
Baraa Hasaba
Child female killed
Mohammad Taha al-Lamdani
Adult male killed
Yasser Hasan Abdul Aal
Adult male killed
Abo Khaled Nsair
Adult male killed
Lukman al-Sleek
Adult female killed
Mohammad Jamal Basheir al-Derra
Adult male killed
Qamar Killis
Adult female killed
Rabea Killis
Adult female killed
Rayan Yehya Merjan
Child female young girl who died from injuries sustained a few days previously “due to the Russian air forces shelling.” killed
Bashar Krenbe
Adult male killed
Mohammad Nour al-Sayed Hasan
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14
  • (3 children2 women7–9 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • 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]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Rayan Yehya Merjan (via VDC)
  • A video shows the victim Ryan Yahya Morgan (via YASER ALDOUMANI2)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another photo of Rayan Yehya Merjan (via VDC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

No mention of strikes in Damascus governorate were made by Russia in its report for November 19th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14
  • (3 children2 women7–9 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • 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

RS168 CS146

Incident date

November 18, 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

Reports indicated that Coalition aircraft had killed up to ten civilians in Raqqa in an evening strike.

According to local monitors Raqaa is Being Slaughtered Silently, seven were killed and eight injured after a civilian fuel facility was bombed in the Brigade 17 area of the city. A graphic video by Daesh propagandists Al A’maq shows ten corpses.

However, Russia had also reported destroying more than 500 oil tankers in strikes in the region.

 

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city Ar Raqqah (الرقة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.949949, 39.007363. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 17th-18th, the Coalition reported: " Near Ar Raqqah, four strikes [2 French] struck three ISIL headquarters and an ISIL bivouac."

For November 18th-19th: "Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL storage facility."

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 10
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS164

Incident date

November 18, 2015

Location

الرحيبة, Al Rahiba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.74424, 36.70394 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The White Helmets reported the death of one man and the injuring of his wife, following several alleged Russian airstrikes during the evening on the town of Al Rahiba.

However the VDC reported the death of an unnamed civilian male “due to regime`s army forces shelling.” And the Free Syrian Army noted only that an “unidentified martyr died following a bombardment on the town.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Rahiba (الرحيبة), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.74424, 36.70394. 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 made no public mention of airstrikes in Damascus governorate in its report for November 18th 2015.

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)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS165

Incident date

November 18, 2015

Location

الكركات, Al Karkat, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.477006, 36.384919 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Union of Hamas Rebels reported that one child who was killed – and two or more people injured – in alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Al Karat.

The VDC also named the boy, who it said had died “Due to the Russian air forces shelling of Karakat village.” The Syrian News Desk said the attack was part of heavy air raids by Russia around Al Karkat that day “wounding dozens of civilians in varying degrees of severity, with the child victim transferred to the medical point in the village, as the shelling also resulted in the destruction of 10 houses or more.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Jassem Mohammad Ramadan
Child male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Karkat (الكركات), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.477006, 36.384919. 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 made no public mention of airstrikes in Hama governorate in its report for November 18th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS166

Incident date

November 18, 2015

Location

تل هادية, Tal Hadya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.99595, 36.93908 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Union of Hamas Rebels, one adult civilian male was killed and two or more people injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Tal Hadya.

The Violations Documentation Center also named the victim, It also identifies him as a civilian but has published an image of him wearing a militant bandana. His combatant status remains unclear.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salah al-Saleh
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Image of Saleh al-Saleh (via VDC)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tal Hadya (تل هادية), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.99595, 36.93908. 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 confirmed carrying out cruise missile strikes in Aleppo governorate on November 18th 2015: “From 9:00 to 9:10 Tu-160 strategic missile-carrying aircraft launched 12 air-based cruise missiles against ISIS facilities in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]