Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

RS802 CS214

Incident date

May 19, 2016

Location

الحمرات, Al Hamrat (Ar Raqqah), Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians (from the same family) including three children and one woman died in airstrikes on Al Hamrat according to local sources – though reports were confused with conflicting allegations that Russian, the regime or the Coalition had carried out the attacks.

Qasioun said a Russian fighter targeted residential neighborhoods in the village, resulting in deaths and injuries, though it did not provide casualty figures. And an Islamist activist, Hussein al Ahmad, tweeted that “Russian pig warplanes” had wounded “unarmed civilians”.

But Shaam News Network alleged that “aircraft belonging to the international Coalition” bombed Al Hamrat, leading to the death of the family of  “Abdul Al Hadi Hassan Al Abd al-Hadi Albouhbal, including children and women after their home was targeted with “several missiles“. Syria 24 also blamed the Coalition.

Other sources including Ennnabaladi, HNN News and LCCSY also said an entire family were killed, but did not identify the warplanes responsible.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently published several reports of the incident, but like other sources did not say who the aircraft belonged to. It also named the “Abdul Hadi Hassan family” as victims and added that several houses in the area had been destroyed.

However, speaking to Al Hall, Mohamed Salah, a RBSS spokesman, said that while there were “no confirmed reports on the identity of the planes responsible, it is likely they they belonged to the Coalition” given the accuracy of the targeting and the fact that Daesh had imposed a security cordon around the area following the bombing”.

RBSS also said that Coalition planes had dropped leaflets on the city stating “‘The time has come to leave al Raqqa’ in a letter addressed to the civilians asking them to leave the town.”

Jisr TV attributed the incident to the regime, putting the death toll at five – all members of the same family. A report by Al Jazeera was not clear on who was responsible, but implied that regime strikes elsewhere may have spread to Raqqa.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

five members from the family of Abdul Al Hadi Hassan Al Abd al-Hadi Albouhbal

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime, US-led Coalition

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Translation: civilians dead and wounded following 4 raids by warplanes on the town of al Hamrat eastern Raqqa countryside.
  • Translation: an entire family killed after their home was targeted by warplanes in the town of al Hamrat in the eastern Raqqa countryside.
  • Translation: an entire family martyred following bombing by warplanes the area of al Hamrat int he eastern countryside.
  • civilians fleeing
  • Aftermath of the airstrike
  • Translation: #Al raqqa coalition planes throw leaflets over Raqqa says ‘The time has come to leave al Raqqa’ in a letter addressed to the civilians asking them to leave the town (via RBSS)

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition noted no strikes near Raqqa for May 18th-19th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime, US-led Coalition

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS835

Incident date

June 3, 2016

Location

سراقب, Saraqib, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859101, 36.797731 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or two civilians died in an airstrike on Saraqib, according to local sources – though reports are conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

LCCSY put the death toll at two, blaming Russian vacuum missiles.

Activists told the Shaam News Network that two warplanes hit Saraqib with six strikes using cluster bombs killing one civilian and injuring dozens more – though the source did not identify the warplanes responsible.

According to Smart, Russia carried out three raids with cluster bombs and rockets, striking a hospital and a school.

Syriannews desk said that Russia carried out six raids.

However, Alfkr4 and Arabi21 blamed the regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • "Raids on Saraqib with cluster bombs kills a civilian and wounded many others" (Youtube via Amjad bakir)
  • Documentation of cluster bombs, allegedly used by Regime warplanes on Saraqib (via Arabi21)

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS867

Incident date

June 6, 2016

Location

كفر حمرة, Kafr Hamra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.255362, 37.087714 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians died in an airstrike on Kafr Hamra, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

The Shaam News Network, reported that 21 civilians died in Aleppo “in the first day of Ramadan in regime and Russian bombing“. It put the death toll in Kafr Hamra at four civilians.

The White Helmets said there had been two raids at noon, killing four civilians, and also setting fire to shops, but they did not say who the “warplanes” belonged to.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed “suspected Russian warplanes” and put the death toll at three.

According to Syriapost1, Russian warplanes used “internationally-prohibited phosphorous bombs”.

But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the regime was responsible for raids on Aleppo neighborhoods (including Kafr Hamra) which had killed 17 civilians.

A number of other sources, including SHRC didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdo Yasin Majri
26 years old killed
Mahmood Yousef Da’bul
19 years old male killed
Mahmood Yousef Da’bul
19 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–10
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • "a horrifying massacre where 4 were martyred and 10 wounded in the barbaric Russian aggression shelling. Aleppo. God avenge" (Tweet by @ZakariaNassani)
  • Aftermath of alleged phosphorous attack on Kafr Hamra (via SHRC)
  • Report on presence of helicopters, warplanes and barrel bombs in the region. (Video by SNN Facebook)
  • Destruction in Kafra Hamra (via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • A building destroyed in Kafra Hamra (via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • White Helmet rescue team at site following strikes on Kafra Hamra (via Aleppo White Helmets)

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 June 1st – 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
    3 – 4
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–10
  • 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 (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS899

Incident date

June 14, 2016

Location

حي ‫‏صلاح الدين, Salahudin (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians including a woman died and up to 17 more were injured in an airstrike on Salahudin, though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime was to blame.

Orient, LCCSY, the Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Syrian Press Cente all blamed Russia.

Ara News said that the regime was responsible, citing three strikes with cluster bombs killing three non-combatants.

Many other sources didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

@AlQanatTV and @RadioAlKul also said the regime was responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mrs. Fatima Al Hamoud Al Alawi
60 years years old female killed
Muhammad Bakri Douji
40 years years old male killed
Ismaeil Muhammad
45 years years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–17
  • 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 (34) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • One of the children injured following strikes on Sallahudin (via Aleppo White Helmets Facebook) [Page unavailable accessed via Airwars archive]

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 June 1st – 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
    1 – 3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–17
  • 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 (34) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS944

Incident date

June 27, 2016

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, up to six civilians died including a child in Talbissa and Ar-Rastan, though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

Elbiseh, Syrian Press Center and StepAgency identified on of the victims.

LCCSY attributed the strike to Russia, while the twitter account KkhaledWw pointed to the Syrian regime.

However, according to Arabstoday, five civilians were killed by helicopters “throwing explosive barrels” in Ar-Rastam, while a “bombardment by government forces on areas in the city of Talbisah” led to the death of a child.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Salim Catamaran
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 6
  • (1 child1 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 (10) [ 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 June 1st – 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
    1 – 6
  • (1 child1 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS976

Incident date

July 8, 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

A petrol station was destroyed causing huge fires in Salheen following alleged Russian and Syrian regime warplane shelling, reportedly killing up to six civilians including three children.

Burqa Media, LCCSY and local sources reported that Russian warplanes caused the damage to the neighbourhood. But Halab News reported the raids to be conducted by the Syrian Regime.

Multiple video’s showed cluster bombs were used, killing 6 civilians.

The numbers of wounded reported by locals range between 5 and 10. One girl was included in these figures.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yseen Umar Shahroor
47 years old male killed
Youssef Basmaji
24 years old male killed
Nori Aldabek
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • (3 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A girl injured by shelling and cluster bombs in Salheem, 8th July 2016. (via, AMC tweet)
  • Footage of the aftermath of alleged Russian raids conducted on the second say of Eid on Salheen (Youtube via Buraq.Media.Foundation)
  • The effects of cluster bombs on Salheen, the source alleged Russia culprit (Youtube via AMC)
  • Material destruction on the streets of Salheen after Russian warplanes allegedly attacked the town (via Smart)
  • Salheen struck by suspected cluster bombs (Youtube by Halab News Network)
  • Footage of aerial bombardment conducted on Salheen, Ansari and Seif Doola (Youtube by Buraq.Media.Foundation)
  • A significant blaze in Salheen, the result of alleged Russian bombing (Youtube by qwaszx)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of alleged warplane shelling cared for by a medic in Salheen (via Orient)
  • The Civil Defense team extinguish fires cased by susepected Russian shelling (via Blog.amin)
  • The Civil Defense team works to extinguish the fires in Salheen (via Blog.amin)

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between July 1st – 14th 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 – 6
  • (3 children2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1008

Incident date

July 16, 2016

Location

الألمجي, Al Alamji, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.208797, 37.162306 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Warplanes struck Al Almaji, a residential neighborhood in Old Aleppo and killed between 10 and 11 civilians, including women and children. According to Horrya News and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, Assad warplanes launched the raids. However, Shahba News Agency and other local news sources reported the raids to be Russian.

The Syrian Civil Defence said 11 people were killed in the raid. The Syrian Network for Human Rights put the numbers slightly lower at seven, also adding that 4 of them were children. Halab News reported that five children and three women were included in those killed.

According to Shahba, 23 people were injured in the raid.

Horrya News stated that “Assad warplanes launched raids in many neighbourhoods of Aleppo and killed more than 50 people including Al Almaji.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 11
  • (4–5 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    23
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A man being rescued from the rubble after airstrikes hit Al Alamji neighbourhood in Old Aleppo. 16th July 2016. (via. Syrian PC).
  • Civil Defense officer saying that warplanes fired a missile killed 11 people including women and children (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child being rescued following strikes on Al Almaji (via Shababrevolution tweet)

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between July 16th – 27th 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 – 11
  • (4–5 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    23
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1040

Incident date

July 23, 2016

Location

سوحا, Souha, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.000015, 37.401581 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians from one family, including a woman and four children, died in an airstrike on Souha in Hama, according to local media.

Only one of the two sources (LCCSY), alleged that Russia was to blame. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights referred only to “warplanes”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • 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 (2) [ 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 July 16th – 27th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]