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

RS1152

Incident date

August 16, 2016

Location

الأتارب, Al Atarib, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1375975, 36.8284035 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as seven civilians including a child died in an airstrike on Al Atarib, local media reported. The majority of sources said that Russia was responsible, however, one report by Akhbaralaan also made mention of the Syrian regime. According to All4Syria on August 16th, the sky over Aleppo was full of “swarms of Russian planes”.

Youm7 pout the death count at three including a child, though according to Akhbaralaan, seven people died.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdullah Sadeq
Child killed
Hussein Khalid Alarup
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Hussein Khalid Alarup, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid. (via, Halab News)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

On August 16th 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that,"Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 tactical bombers took off from the “Hamedan” airbase (the Islamic Republic of Iran) and carried out a concentrated airstrike on objects of the ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groupings in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib. As a result, the strikes have eliminated 5 large ammunition depots with armament, munitions and fuel, training camps of militants near Serakab, Al-Ghab, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor cities, 3 control centres of militants near the cities Jafra and Deir ez-Zor as well as a significant number of militants. Ammunition depots, training camps and control centres destroyed by the bombing had been used for support of militant groupings near Aleppo."

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (24) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1184

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

الراموسة, Ramousa, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1583284, 37.1326297 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and at least five more were wounded in an airstrike on the road leading to the neighborhood of Ramousa, south of of the city of Aleppo, local media reported – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime. However, the majority of sources pointed to the regime. Reports said that a car or bus or “gathering of vehicles” were struck.

LCCSY and the Step News Agency blamed Russia for the strike, with LCCSY putting the death toll at two.

All other sources also said that there were two fatalities, though added that civilians were also wounded in the attack. But the Smart News Agency was among many sources attributing the event to the regime. It reported that “two civilians died and nine more were injured when their car was targeted”. According to Baladi, “at least a dozen civilians were injured following intense shelling by Assad’s forces on the road to Ramousa”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that “barrel bombs had been dropped on to the road from helicopters”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Latif Mustafa Abtini
Adult male a fighter, named by SyrianNews Desk killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1217

Incident date

September 4, 2016

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.904042, 36.726111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died and several others were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike with cluster bombs on Sarmin in Idlib governorate, according to local media.

Alamawi, Rozana FM, Derynews, LCCSY and the Syrian Network for Human Rights all attributed the event to Russia, with many sources reporting the use of cluster bombs.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Umar Ahmad Mowahed
Adult male killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A member of the White Helmets examines cluster bomb remnants in Sarmin, Idlib. Allegedly fired by Russian warplanes (Tweet by @SN4HR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The man Umar Ahmad Mowahed - killed in the suspected Russian attacks on Sarmin (via Arshef sarmin)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Sarmin (سرمين), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.904042, 36.726111. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

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
    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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1249

Incident date

September 10, 2016

Location

صلاح الدين, Salahuddin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1874206, 37.1204853 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 10 civilians including three named children from the same family died and as many as dozens more were wounded in an airstrike on Aleppo’s Salahudeen neighbourhood, according to local media. The majority of sources blamed Russia, though a report by Buraq media which cited the use of “explosive barrels” in the attack means that the Syrian regime can’t be ruled out.

Egynews reported that “according to the Syrian Observatory, 10 civilians were killed in shelling in regime controlled areas in Salahudeen – and the number is likely to rise due to the severity of injuries”.

Multiple sources reported the death of a female child. Some didn’t identify the warplanes responsible, though Halabtoday, Alamawi and HNN pointed to Russia.

Syriafree339 tweeted a very graphic image showing a dead girl, who had lost a limb, commenting “this isn’t a doll; it is a little girl who was killed in Salahudeen due to Russian warplanes shelling.”

The pro-Assad source SyriaWatanNews tweeted the names of three victims (all children from the same family) but didn’t apportion blame.

24Aleppo put the death toll at seven, but didn’t named the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Yehya Jaber
12 years old killed
Umar Jaber
5 years old
Abdur-Rahman Jaber
12 years old killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 10
  • (3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Yehya Jaber, Umar Jaber, Abdur-Rahman Jaber - a family of civilians allegedly killed in Russian warplane shelling on Salah Aldeen (Tweet via @SyriaWatanNews)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A very graphic photograph of a young girl, dismembered and killed in suspected Russian warplane shelling on Salahudin (Tweet via @Syriafree339) [Page no longer available - accessed via Airwars archive]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 10
  • (3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1282

Incident date

September 19, 2016

Location

جنات السلامة, Janat al Salama, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2939575, 37.8688425 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Russian warplanes struck the village of Janat al Salama in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, killing four civilians, including two women, from the same family, local sources reported.

Most sources used similar language to Shahed-ayan, which stated “warplanes targeted the town of Janat al Salama near the Dayr Hafir, causing the martyrdom of four people, including two women.”

Both Syria2011 and Halab reported the names of the dead.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Jamal Ahmed Jabari Aboud
Age unknown male killed
Veidah Jabari Khamis Al Aboud
Age unknown female killed
Mustafa Aboud Jabari
Age unknown male killed
Ghinwa Aboud Ahmed Jabar
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 women2 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 (18) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 women2 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1314

Incident date

September 23, 2016

Location

حي الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807701, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that five civilians were killed, and four injured, in an airstrike on the al Salheen neighbourhood of Aleppo. While most sources blamed Russia some reports said that the regime also carried out strikes in al Salheen on this day.

A tweet from @AleppoAMC included graphic photographs of three wounded children and a wounded man, with the caption “wounded in aerial bombing, which targeted al Salheen in Aleppo on Friday [Sept 23rd].”

@Sy_Reporter said five martyrs were killed in al Salheen. Islammemo, Almustaqbal, the Shaam News Network and HNN also corroborated that number. @Sy_Reporter blamed Russia, as did Orient News, and HNN. HNN identified the name of one of the victims.

Zamanalwasl did not distinguish between regime and Russian forces, saying both struck neighbourhoods across Aleppo on Friday.

One source alleged that the planes used machine guns in the neighbourhood, as well as bombs. @RFS_NORTH said civilian homes were on fire after the neighbourhood was hit by bombs and strafed with “heavy machine guns.”

According to @shahed_alep, the munitions used were cluster bombs.

A video posted by Qasioun News to YouTube showed a father grieving over his dead son.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Fakhouri
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A father is grieving over his dead son who reportedly was killed in airstrikes on Salheen, Aleppo (via Qasioun News Agency)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Several civilians were heavily injured by the airstrikes reportedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime on Salheen, Aleppo (via AleppoAMC)
  • Destruction following the airstrikes in Salheen (via Eldorar News)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1346

Incident date

September 25, 2016

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

Various sources reported that an unspecified number of civilians were wounded in air or artillery strikes on Douma in Eastern Ghouta – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

According to LCCSY, Russia conducted five strikes. The source said there had been casualties but didn’t specify how many.

@Doumarevolutio1 reported artillery shelling, though it didn’t identify the culprit.

However, according to @ALAMAWI, “regime forces bombed the city of heavy artillery”.

Shamnews39 reported that there were no casualties.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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

RS1378

Incident date

October 1, 2016

Location

الصاخور, Al Sakhour (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2179122, 37.1892357 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two people including a child died and several more were wounded in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on Aleppo’s al Sakhour neighbourhood, according to sources on the ground. Reports said that the strike hit a hospital.

According to IranArabSpring, “an unidentified six-year-old child’s body was delivered to the mortuary in Aleppo. He was killed in Al-Sakhour hospital shelling”.

Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera reported that “two people were killed and others wounded due to Russian and regime warplanes shelling in Al-Sakhour hospital”.

Many sources, such as Hamsa al-Yousef and Halab News, reported the use of chlorine gas, cluster and phosphorous bombs.

Sources were split on whether Russia or the regime were to blame – though it was suggested that both parties played a role.

According to LCCSY, “Assad’s helicopters dropped barrel bombs on the field hospital in #Sakhour neighborhood while Russian warplanes targeted it with two cluster bombs and a bunker-busting bomb, which left one civilian dead and put the hospital out of service”.

Rudaw News reported that “regime helicopters targeted Al-Sakhour hospital with explosive barrels and destroyed it. Some were killed and others wounded”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The remnants of a hospital which was struck by an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid on 1st October 2016. Footage shows wounded and civilian casualties. (via, Baladi)
  • The exact moments the alleged Russian or Syrian regime phosphorous bombs struck Al Sakhour. (via Baladi)
  • Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime strike. (via, SUDsyria)
  • Damage to the inside of Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Smart News)
  • Damage to the inside of Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Smart News)
  • Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime strike. (via, Smart News)
  • Damage to the inside of Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Smart News)
  • The aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Rozana FM)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of an unidentified 6 year old child, killed in the alleged Russian and Syrian raid on Al Sakhour. (via, IranArabspring)
  • Damage to the inside of Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Thiqa)
  • Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime strike. (via, Thiqa)
  • Damage to the inside of Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Thiqa)
  • Damage to the inside of Al-Sakhour hospital in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Thiqa)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between October 1st – 19th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]