News media and casualty recorders reported that between 25 and 26 civilians were killed including eight children and seven women – and more than a dozen injured – in airstrikes targeting a market where people were queuing to buy heating fuel.
It remains unclear whether the Assad regime or Russian forces were responsible for the attack.
According to The White Helmets – which came to the aid of casualties – there were three raids, with more than one missile strike. Both The White Helmets and Shaam News Network reported that at least ten non-combatants were killed as a result of Russian airstrikes and predicted that the death toll would rise. Severe damage was caused by fires in several shops.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said the death toll rose to 26 and initially blamed the regime. However, following an investigation, it declared that Russia was responsible. Radio Al Kul said the city had come under attack from both Russian airstrikes and “regime bombing with rockets and heavy artillery.” But the opposition station insisted the attack on the market was the work of Russian aircraft.
The Violations Documentation Centre published 25 victims by names.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members
(2)
Rateb Basheer al-Nisreen
Adult
male
killed
Mohammad Natheer al-Nisreen
Adult
male
killed
Family members
(2)
Taghreed Abdul Naser Taha
Child
female
killed
Mohammad Abdul Naser Taha
Child
male
killed
Family members
(3)
Khawla Yousef Ameen
Adult
female
killed
Ghusoun Hasan Ameen
Adult
female
Hadiye Yousef Ameen
Adult
female
killed
Family members
(2)
Husam Yousef al-Nisreen
Child
male
killed
Redwan Basheer al-Nisreen
Adult
male
killed
Family members
(2)
Hana al-Sayed
Adult
female
killed
Rafaela Nadam
Adult
female
killed
The victims were named as:
Mohammad Ibraheem Arbour
Child
male
killed
Muhannad Subhi Khebiye
Child
male
killed
Mahmoud Ihsan al-Jaje
Adult
male
killed
Bilal Tayseer Subhiye
Child
male
killed
Ghaydaa Haytham Seesan
Adult
female
killed
Ahmad Merie Nafeest
Adult
male
killed
Waleed Jamal al-Sabbagh
Adult
male
killed
Hani Omar Hanan
Adult
male
killed
Aamer Omar Urabi
Adult
male
killed
Yaser Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh Bakri
Adult
male
killed
Jalapa Bakkar
Adult
female
killed
Fadi Nadam
Child
male
killed
Mohammad al-Sleek
Child
male
killed
Khaleel Badran
Adult
male
killed