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

RS497

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

مارع, Mare', Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.482582, 37.19593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including two children were killed and up to 40 injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Mare’, according to local sources.

According to the White Helmets, the town was targeted with four cluster bombs and then with two vacuum missiles, resulting in the death of three and the injury of 15 others, “most of them in a critical condition“. The White Helmets did not say who was responsible for the incidents.

However, the Shaam News Network blamed Russia for carrying out five airstrikes on civilian homes. Activists told SNN that raids targeted the city with five rockets, four of them containing cluster bombs. This reportedly happened at the time of Friday prayers, killing at least three and injuring more than 40 because the clusters bombs “spread over large areas within the city’s neighbourhoods.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Jaber Mohammad al-Hmoud Abbas
Adult male killed
Abdullah Mahmoud Mohammad Abbas
Child male killed
Mahmoud Mohammad al-Hamoud Abbas
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

daughter of Abo Janan Dada
Child female killed
Khadeeje Rasheed Mahmoud Naser
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–40
  • 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]

  • A member of the White Helmets examines the remains of a cluster bomb fired on Mare', 29th January 2016. (via White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–40
  • 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

RS508

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

الخريطة, Al Khareeta, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.70014, 40.79364 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

LCCSY said that warplanes targeted the village of Khareeta with an airstrike, but did not identify the planes. They did not mention any casualties.

According to DeirEzzor 24, one man was injured in an alleged Russian strike on the village.

No further details are currently available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Albejeen
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS498

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

حردتين, Hardatin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.3672543, 37.1025467 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Shaam News Network reported on the alleged Russian airstrike in Mare’, and added that there had been “several similar raids on towns and Hardatin Bayanoun and Hayan and Tal Rifa’at leaving several killed and wounded, including children.”

No further details are currently available.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS509

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

البورمضان, Albu Ramadan, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.743377, 39.61833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were killed and another five injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Albu Ramadan in eastern Raqqah, according to local sources.

The Shaam News Network said: “coinciding with the violent attack by the Russian Aviation on Deir ez-Zor the towns of Raqqa were not spared.”

They reported on a “new massacre” on Albu Ramadan which targeted a mosque with several vacuum missiles, adding that they “then opened heavy fire on civilian homes leading to the fall of more than four martyrs and a number of injured.”

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently also blamed Russia for the death of four people.Three victims were named by the group including one unknown male.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud al Laji Abou Rabi’
Age unknown male named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
Safwan Ahmad al Daoud Al Harami
Adult male named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
Saleh Bin Mohammad Al A’ssaf
Age unknown named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
Ibrahim Al Zaher
Age unknown named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently injured
The wife of Ahmad Al Dawoud
Age unknown female named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently injured
Tarif Al Khalaf Al Harami
Age unknown named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently injured
Son of Awwad Al A’abed 1
Age unknown male named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently injured
Son of Awwad Al A’abed 2
Age unknown named by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Rijm al-Ammala (Raqqah province), a Su-34 bomber attacked a mini-oil refinery of terrorists. Objective monitoring data confirmed elimination of the object by a direct hit.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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

RS499

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

منبج, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.52815, 37.95495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child died when “suspected Russian warplanes” fired missiles on Manbij, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

All 4 Syria also reported the death, and said the child’s family was injured in the attack.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Loay Omar Al Mafroud
3 years old named by SN4HR killed

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS500

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

قباسين, Qabasin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.43304, 37.5671053 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and 14 civilians died in alleged Russian airstrikes on Qabasein.

In a news roundup the Shaam News Network reported “Russian enemy planes carried out dozens of strikes on the towns of Al Bab, Manbej, Jarablus and the town of Qabaseen causing the fall of dozens of dead and wounded in al Bab and Qabaseen.“

Ara News placed the casualty toll far higher than the Syrian Network’s estimate of four dead, citing media activist Nasser Tlajabina of Aleppo: “The bombing of residential buildings near Rehaoui Mosque and Jabal al-Sheikh Aqeel in town of Qabasin in the countryside killed at least 14 civilians, including four children and a number of women, and injured around 50.”

VDC has named four adult male civilian victims at Qabasein that day – though attributes their deaths to ‘air force shelling’.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

son of Mohammad Mustafa al-Moso
Adult male killed
Abo Saleh
Adult male killed
Mahmoud Merie al-Selo
Adult male killed
Zaki Akram
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 14
  • (0–1 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–50
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 14
  • (0–1 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–50
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1724

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

حي القاطرجي, Al Qaterji neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1995518, 37.1815538 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman died and a number of other civilians were injured in an airstrike on Aleppo’s Al Qaterji neighbourhood, according to local media. It was unclear whether Russia or the regime were to blame. There were allegations against both parties – and reports that chlorine gas had been dropped from helicopters.

According to Anapress, “Russian and Syrian warplanes intensified since raids on a number of eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, including the Al-Qatragi neighborhood and the neighborhood of ِAl Myasar and the Jisr Al Hajj neighbourhood, causing huge destruction of property and wounding a number of civilians.” The source went on to say that “heavy military machine guns targeted areas in Al-Qatraji neighbourhood”, leading to the death of a woman and injury of other non-combatants.

Micro News and @Newsofiraq said that chlorine gas had been used.

@yrose88 tweeted an image of “a parachute rocket thrown at the neighborhood of Al Qatraji”, but added that it did not explode.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 'Pictures .. A parachute rocket thrown at the neighborhood of Al Qatraji, besieged in Aleppo # did not explode.'

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 specific strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 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 woman)
  • 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

RS501

Incident date

January 29, 2016

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

Ten civilians including seven young brothers and sisters died in an alleged Russian strike on al-Bab.

In a news roundup, the Shaam News Network reported that Russian warplanes allegedly carried out dozens of strikes on the towns on Al Bab, Manbij, Jarablus and Qabasein, leading to “dozens of dead and wounded in Al Bab and Qabaseen.“

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that “alleged Russian warplanes shelled several houses that surround Jabal Sheikh Akeel in Al Bab city in Aleppo suburbs“, adding that nine civilians died from one family, including six children and three women. Halab Today reported 14 deaths, while All 4 Syria said 15 civilians had died.

VDC has named the following 10 fatalities, all of whom it said died “Due to Russian air forces shelling of the town”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (9)

Asinat Haj Abdo
Child female killed
Omar Haj Abdo
Child male killed
Omran Haj Abdo
Child male killed
Sara Haj Abdo
Child female killed
Shaymaa Haj Abdo
Child female killed
Nour Haj Abdo
Child female killed
Muhannad Haj Abdo
Child male killed
Bushra Haj Abdo
Adult female killed
Muna al-Waki
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Zanoub Kannas
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 15
  • (7 children3–4 women)
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 15
  • (7 children3–4 women)
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]