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

RS2636

Incident date

October 14, 2017

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.44208, 36.65095 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, Idlib Media Center reported that several civilians were left wounded after alleged Russian warplanes had struck the city of Khan Sheikhoun with C8 missiles in the afternoon of October 14th, 2017.

Currently, there are no further details.

 

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between October 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2540

Incident date

September 26, 2017

Location

معرة حرمة, Maarat Horma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5497387, 36.5422624 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were wounded in an airstrike, likely to be Russian, on the town of Maarat Horma in southern Idlib, according to the Smart News Agency. The wounded were transferred to nearby field hospitals.

According to @SyrianCoalition, the strike destroyed “the northern school” in the town.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The ruins of the "northern school" in Maarat Horma following an alleged Russian airstrike on Sept 26th 2017.
  • The ruins of the "northern school" in Maarat Horma following an alleged Russian airstrike on Sept 26th 2017

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2480

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

الفطيرة كرسعة, al Fatira and Karsa'a, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6102782, 36.4810681 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes against the towns of al Fatira and Karsa’a in Idlib governorate.

RFS media office reported: “Russian and Regime air force planes also renewed their air raids on the towns and villages of Al-Fataira, Benin near ariha, Abdin and the southern suburb of Idlib, resulting in severe damage to property but no injuries.”

However, @homsy222 and Idlib Media Centre said that a number of civilians had been wounded.

According to Alyum TV, “Russian aircraft bombed the towns of Naquir, Harish Abdeen, Tall Menas, Marathat, Badama, Kafarsgana and Tirmala, and the outskirts of Karsa’a, Fataira and Khan Shaykhoun villages south of Idlib, killing of three civilians, including a girl and a woman” – but the source didn’t specify where the deaths were.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3641

Incident date

May 1, 2019

Location

المنطار, Al Mentar, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two children were reported wounded when the village of Al-Mentar, near the town of Muhambal in the western suburb of Idlib, was struck by an “aerial bombardment” on the morning of May 1st.

Almanar didn’t mention civilian harm but reported that “Yesterday [May 1st], units of the army [the Assad regime] arrested a number of terrorists and destroyed their homes and mechanisms on the outskirts of the town of Tirmala, in Al-Mentar, Khattab hill in the southern countryside of Idlib, on the outskirts of the villages of Qala’at al-Mideq and in the villages of Zakat, Ankawi and Ja’ata.”

Zaman al Wasl News referred to three civilians wounded in reference to shelling in a number of locations including Al-Mentar, and Hadiabdullah News cited two children wounded in Al-Mentar.

Sources named both Russian forces and the Syrian regime in reporting the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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

RS210

Incident date

November 29, 2015

Location

الدانا, Al Dana, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.21252, 36.76978 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Shaam News Network and Aljazeera Mubashner reported that civilian relief trucks were allegedly struck by Russian warplanes in the town of Al Dana. No deaths or injuries were initially reported.

Aljazeera Mubashner’s footage is entitled: ‘Aftermath of Russian bombing after they targeted relief trucks in Al Dana in Idlib.’ An interviewed man says the targeted vehicles were relief trucks carrying food for civilians. He points to a pile of boxes saying they had contained bananas, foodstuff and relief items, and claiming there were no militants present.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Photos showing trucks struck by alleged Russian planes in the town of Al Dana in Idlib. (via SNN)
  • Trucks allegedly struck by Russian warplanes in Al Dana, November 29th (via SNN)
  • The effects of the Russian bombardment on relief trucks in the town of Dana in the countryside of Idlib. (via Aljazeera Mubasher)
  • Blazing fires in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian raid which targeted a residential neighbourhood. (via, The White Helmets)

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 “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
    0
  • 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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3301

Incident date

March 18, 2018

Location

عين ترما, Ain Tarma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.51602, 36.35078 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unknown number of civilians were killed or injured in alleged Russian or Syrian air and/or artillery strikes on the city of Ain Tarma on March 18th, 2020, according to local sources.

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported that there were “martyrs and wounded in airstrikes by Assad and the Russians on the cities of Harasta, Arbeen and the town of Ain Tarma in eastern Ghouta.”

Four Russian air raids took place, according to the Damascus countryside White Helmets on Facebook, adding that Syrian Civil Defence teams responded promptly to the bombing. @SyriaTwitte reported that explosive barrels were fired by helicopters in the morning.

Qasioun added that “Ain Tarma and Douma were shelled with mortar shells and helicopters dropped explosive barrels on Irbin city”.

According to the White Helmets, there were “four Russian raids  aimed at the residential areas of the town”.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3340

Incident date

March 26, 2018

Location

أريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81374, 36.60964 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were possibly wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on the town of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on March 26th, 2018, according to Shaam News Network.

Shaam News Network reported the following: “Russian aircraft launched fierce air raids on the cities and towns of Ariha, Al Taman’a, Harsh Abidin, Al Naqir, Harsh Al Habit in the southern countryside, and Jisir Al Shugur, Al Safyat and Zarzour in the western countryside, which led to the fall of a number of wounded civilians.”

It is unclear in which specific incidents civilian harm occured.

Currently, further information is unavailable to Airwars.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3357

Incident date

March 31, 2018

Location

محمبل, Mhambel, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.784376, 36.468902 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

@wateen_media reported that Russian aircraft carried out strikes on “the city of Ariha and the outskirts of the town of Mhambel”, but made ne mention of civilian harm.

According to the Shaam News Agency, “Russian and Regime warplanes launched dozens of very violent air raids on the cities and towns of Idlib, causing dozens of martyrs and wounded civilians”, which resulted in “a number of wounded in Khan Shekhun, Mhambel, Al Naqir, Al habit, Mukah, Al Taman’a ,Al  Khwain and Sefwhen in the southern countryside, Jisr al-Shaghoor, Marj Zuhaour and Al Zyadiya in the western countryside.”

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (2) [ collapse]