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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Russian Military
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Incident Code

RS1257

Incident date

September 10, 2016

Location

Kafr Zita or Latamenah (Hama) or Idlib, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3747033, 36.5923691 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 16 civilians – with four or five from one family – died in shelling on Latamenah, according to local media. However, there were allegations against both Russia and the Syrian regime. It was reported that Kafr Zita was under regime artillery shelling – with possible regime strikes also reported in Latamnah.

According to the Step News Agency, “two members of the rebels were killed and others wounded in Russian shelling in Latamenah. Four civilians from one family including a child were killed in artillery shelling in Kafr Zeita”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “16 died in Hama, most of them killed in Russian airstrikes on Kafarzita, Latamnah, and Idlib city.”

Jisrtv added that “two civilians were killed in warplanes shelling in Latamenah.”

RFS put the death toll in Latamenah as one – but didn’t identify the warplane responsible.

LCCSY also reported Russian strikes on Kafr Zita, Latamenah and Idlib city, which resulted in civilian deaths.

Other sources including Qasioun and Jisrtv said that a whole family consisting of four or five people (a mother, father and two children, according to Qasioun) died in regime artillery shelling on Kafr Zita.

A number of sources also reported regime shelling in Kafr Zita and Latamenah, resulted in an unspecified number of civilian deaths and injuries.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 16
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Missiles fired at Latameh, Sept 10th, allegedly by Russian warplanes (Youtube via Mahmood Al-Hamwi)

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 – 16
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1290

Incident date

September 20, 2016

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8420186, 36.711974 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and four civilians were killed and two to 25 injured in air or artillery strikes on the city of Talbissa outside Homs, local sources reported.

The lowest death count was given by @syriapost1 as one civilian – but with 10 more wounded.

Among the dead were at least one child, woman, and young man, tweeted @Syriamubasher, while other sources stated multiple children were wounded in the attacks. The Syrian Network for Human Rights tweeted a picture of a small child who had been wounded in his left arm.

Most reports claimed four civilians were killed in the strikes. For example, Homs Media Center said: “artillery shelling targeted the neighbourhood the city of Talbisah which resulted in four martyrs and more than 25 injured.”

Sources disagreed over whether the planes were Russian or the regime’s.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1–2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–25
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A small boy, reportedly injured in the alleged Assad or Russian airstrikes in Talbisah, Homs (via SN4HR)
  • Pictures showing the alleged Assad or Russian airstrikes in Talbisah, Homs (via Baladi Network)

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 – 4
  • (1–2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–25
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1322

Incident date

September 23, 2016

Location

القاطرجي, Al Qaterji (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between seven and nine civilians died and at least 15 more were wounded in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Aleppo’s Al Qaterjo neighbourhood, according to sources on the ground. An Al Jazeera report claimed that phosphorus and cluster bombs were used in the attack.

@ShbabRevolution tweeted, “seven dead, including a child and about 15 civilians wounded by the strikes of the Russian occupation on Al Qaterji neighborhood in Aleppo.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “fixed-wing warplanes we believe are Russian struck Al Qaterji neighborhood, which resulted in the killing of seven individuals including three children and two women” – though a later SN4HR tweet blamed “government warplanes” for the attack.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that regime helicopters had been active over the area.

@AleppoAMC tweeted that a child was wounded, and included a photograph of the child.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Abdallah al Zain
20 years old male killed
Fatima al Zain
18 years old killed
Mohammad al Zain
14 years old male killed
Aya al Zain
16 years old killed

Family members (2)

Yasser al Helou
14 years old male killed
Yasser's mother - Ghaleb
35 years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 9
  • (2–3 children2 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–24
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • A street in Al Qaterji is full of rubble after suspected Russian shelling, Sept 23rd (via @RFS_ NORTH) [Page no longer available - accessed via Airwars archive]
  • A building in Al Qaterji, part demolished in alleged Russian warplane attacks, Sept 23rd (via @RFS_NORTH) [Page no longer available - accessed via Airwars archive]
  • Further material damage on Al Qaterji, the aftermath of alleged warplane shelling, Sept 23rd (via RFS_NORTH) [Page no longer available - accessed via Airwars archive]
  • Significant material destruction on the streets of Al Qaterji following alleged Russian cluster bombs, Sept 23rd (via @RFS_NORTH) [Page no longer availble -accessed via Airwars archive]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photographs of civilian victims in Al Qaterji - the human cost of alleged Russian warplane shelling, Sept 23rd (via @shbabRevolution)

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
    7 – 9
  • (2–3 children2 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–24
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1354

Incident date

September 26, 2016

Location

الهلّك, al Halak, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.231951, 37.170997 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and four civilians were reported killed in Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the Al Halak neighbourhood of Aleppo.

While most sources claimed that the strikes were conducted by the Syrian regime, a number of outlets reported the strikes were Russian.

Syriamubasher wrote: “A woman and two men died as a result of raids by Russian aircraft on the Al Halak neighborhood in Aleppo.”

According to LCCSY, “four civilians died and dozens were wounded as Russian warplanes carried out thermobaric weapon attack on the Halak neighborhood.”

Akhbar Alaan reported the use of phosphorus and napalm bombs in the area.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (22) [ 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
    3 – 4
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1387

Incident date

October 2, 2016

Location

الزبدية, al Zarbadia, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1873081, 37.1341324 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, air and artillery strikes hit the neighbourhood of al-Zarbadia in Aleppo, killing up to three civilians and wounding as many as six more.

According to the Smart News Agency, “regime artillery shelling by Assad forces stationed in Hamdaneya stadium targeted the Al-Zebdiya neighbourhood and killed three children and wounded six others who were taken to medical points for treatment.”

Baladi said all three victims were children.

Most sources (Smart news, Baladi News, Syrian Press Center and Syrian Network for Human Rights) attributed the strike to the Assad regime, while just one source – Halab News Network – pointed to Russia as the culprit, listing two unidentified victims of an airstrike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (0–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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 October 1st – 19th 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 – 3
  • (0–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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

RS1420

Incident date

October 9, 2016

Location

الغسانية, Al Ghassania, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.8142663, 36.2616084 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that aerial shelling in al-Ghassania, outside Idlib, killed one woman and injured 15 more civilians. While most sources attributed this civilian casualty event to Russia, there were also allegations against the Syrian regime.

According to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “warplanes shelled  Al-Ghassania village in Idlib and killed a woman and wounded 15 others – six of them women. The number of martyrs is likely to rise due to critical injuries”.

The victim’s name and origin was identified by sources such as LCCSY who reported that “young lady Sarah Mgharbil was martyred due to the Russian airstrike on Ghasania village. The martyr is from Jablah city”.

Syria News Desk added that four children were among the injured.

The twitter account @Syrian191124 reported about the culprit’s use of cluster bombs as it tweeted “extensive Russian warplanes shelling with cluster bombs and missiles Ghasania (…)”

While most sources pointed to Russia as the culprit, UrgentLive blamed the Assad regime, while the Step News Agency said that both Assad and Russia were responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Sarah Mgharbil
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15
  • 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 (15) [ 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 October 1st – 19th 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
    15
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1452

Incident date

October 13, 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

Three or four civilians including a woman and a child died and up to seven more were injured in an alleged Russian or regime air or artillery strike on Aleppo’s Al Sakhour neighbourhood, according to local media.

Syrian Press Centre and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights both reported that “Russian warplanes targeted the medical centre in Sakhour, wounding a number of its staff. Additionally, Assad’s artillery was shelling the neighbourhood.”

The Smart News agency said that three civilians including a woman and a child died and seven more people were wounded, some badly, in a Russian Strike. Baladi also put the death toll at three.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights, who pointed to “suspected Russian warplanes”, put the death count at four, including a child.

The Shaam News Network noted that both Russia and the regime carried out airstrikes on Aleppo on this day.They also reported that use of “all sorts of weapons including bunker busting, cluster, phosphorous and vacuum missiles”.

Halab News listed three victims including one named and two unidentified civilians.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Illo
10 years old male named by Halab News killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A member of the White Helmets stands in the rubble following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Sakhour, Oct 13th. (via Syrianpc)

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 harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1484

Incident date

October 20, 2016

Location

‏التمانعه‬, al Tama, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.458501, 36.747808 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children died when a cluster bomb exploded in Al Tama village, Idlib, local sources reported – though it was unclear which belligerent had dropped the bomb.

According to LCCSY, two children, both aged 13, “were martyred and three other civilians wounded were reported when remnants of a cluster bomb dropped by Russian warplanes exploded in Tama”.

Russia; @RadioAlKul also blamed Russia.

Many sources didn’t identify who had dropped the cluster bombs. According to Halab Today on October 21st, “regime and Russian planes have intensified their raids on the cities and towns of Idlib province during the last 24 hours”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Adnan Suleiman
13 years old male named by LCCSY killed
Amjad Ali
13 years old named by LCCSY killed

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

On 20th October 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported on the decisions made aimed towards stabilising the situation in Aleppo.

""Today, strikes by the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force are finished at 10:00 (MSK) in the area of Aleppo. Early termination of the airstrikes is essential for holding a “humanitarian pause” on October 20, 2016”, said General of the Army Sergei Shoigu. According to him, it will allow to guarantee security of civilians leaving the city through 6 humanitarian corridors and to prepare casualty and medical evacuation from the eastern part of Aleppo.
“We apply to the leadership of countries influencing on armed formations active in the eastern part of Aleppo with a proposal to convince their leaders to stop warfare and leave the city,” stated the Minister of Defence.
According to General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, by the start of the “humanitarian pause” the Syrian troops will have been withdrawn to the distance safe for insurgents to leave the city with weapons through two special corridors: one – along the Kastello road, second – in the area of Suk al-Hai market."

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

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