Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

RS3163

Incident date

March 4, 2018

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.440813, 36.6493607 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was killed and four others were wounded in airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun, local media reported. Most sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime or the raids.

Smart News Agency reported that “warplanes launched a rocket-propelled grenade in the center of the city, killing one woman and wounding four others, including two women with varying degrees of injuries, the civil defence ministered to a nearby hospital.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hayat Abdul Karim Salloum Al - Abd
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun, 4th March 2018. (via @adham_syria)

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
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3198

Incident date

March 7, 2018

Location

بيت سوى, Beit Sawa, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.537531, 36.399937 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was killed and an unspecified number of others were wounded in airstrikes on Beit Sawa, local media reported. Sources blamed Russian warplanes for the raids.

@KumaitAgency reported that helicopters struck the vicinity with an explosive barrel.

Meanwhile, Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported: “Martyrs and wounded civilians in Russian air force raids on the town of Kafarbatna and the town of Beit Sawa in the eastern Ghouta”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 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 (3) [ 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
    1 – 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1589

Incident date

November 15, 2016

Location

مخبز شمسين, Shamseen Bread Factory, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.212701, 37.162971 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and ten more injured when a Russian strike allegedly hit Shamseen bread factory in western Aleppo. @SCDaleppo said both of the kilns used for bread making were destroyed in the attack.

In addition to the destruction of the bakery, sources alleged parts of the “Damascus highway” where the bakery was situated were destroyed.

The incident occured during the day.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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]

  • The destroyed interior of the Shamseen bread factory reportedly struck by Russian aircraft, November 15th (via @SCDapello)

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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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

CS357

Incident date

November 3, 2016

Location

لقطة, Lakta, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

36.6265496, 38.9509964 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A man was killed when the car he was in was hit by an airstrike, according to local sources.

RBSS reported that a man named Suleiman Al Ahmad al Ghannam was killed “after his injury in an air raid launched by the international coalition on the village of Lakta in the northern Raqqa countryside.” Al Natek offered an identical account, possibly taken from RBSS.

In a later statement issued by writers in Raqqa, it was reported that “Suleiman al Ghannam had volunteered to take people with his van from areas under the control of Kurdish forces to the main road that connects Raqqa to Tal Abiyad. The front of his van was targeted by a missile from a warplane which hit the front of the vehicle, killing all sitting in the front while passengers sitting in the back including women and children survived.”

The statement – signed by more than 100 writers and journalists from the Raqqa area – called on the Coalition to ‘stop targeting civilians in the province of Raqqa and in all other areas, and open transparent investigation incidents into shelling of civilian sites by the international coalition and to hold accountable anyone found responsible.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Suleiman Al Ahmad al Ghannam
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Suleiman Al Ahmad al Ghannam (via RBSS)
  • Translation: Al Raqqa countryside: Suleiman al Ahmad al Ghannam killed yesterday following an air raid launched by the international coalition on the village of Laqta in the northern countryside.
CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Lakta, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For November 2nd-3rd, the Coalition reported “Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an oil pump jack and a vehicle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3256

Incident date

March 13, 2018

Location

مركز 103 للدفاع المدني, civil defence center no :103, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.525278, 36.353056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One member of the White Helmets was killed and three more injured in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on the civil defence centre 103 in Damascus, local media reported.

Douma.Revolution and @SiegeWatch  reported that one civil defence volunteer, Rifat Idris, was killed, and three more were wounded.

The airstrikes that struck the Civil Defence Centre resulted in the destruction of the centre completely, and it was left out of service. The centre supported the towns of Hazza, Zamalka, and Ein Tarma.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Rifat Idris
Adult male Member of the White Helmets killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Rifat Idris, killed in airstrikes on a Civil Defence Centre in Damascus, 13th March 2018. (via @SiegeWatch)

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
    1
  • (1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3987

Incident date

August 1, 2019

Location

كفر نبل, Kafar Nubul, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

One woman was reported killed, and four to six civilians including two children injured, in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes or artillery on Kafar Nubul , Idlib, on August 1st. Out of the injured, four belong to one family.

It was reported that Kafar Nubul was targeted with two raids on that day. The victim was named by local sources as Najwa Muhammad Al-Ashtar, a 28 year old IDP from Homs who died of injuries she sustained in morning airstrikes. Justice Organisation reported that the victim died in Kafar Zeita and it is unclear whether that was stated by mistake as all the sources mentioned her name as a victim in Kafar Nubul.

Smart News reported the “destruction of civilian homes and a school in the city of Kafar Nabil south of Idlib in northern Syria, as a result of aerial bombardment of Syrian warplanes to the residential neighborhoods in the city. Activist Ahmed Hanini said on Thursday, August 1, 2019, that a woman was killed and four civilians were injured as a result of the shelling.”

Meanwhile, Halab Today documented one civilian killed, and six injured.

Syrian Network for Human Rights named the school damaged as “Martyr Ahmad Alloush School known as al Reifiya School”, stating that the airstrikes “partially damaged its building and severely damaged its furniture”.

Sources attributed the attack to the Syrian regime and/or Russia. @blaas083 tweeted that a MiG-23 warplane conducted the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Abdulaziz Al-Dibo عبدالعزيز الديبو
25 years old male injured
Mohammed Khaled Al-Dibo محمد خالد الديبو
28 years old male injured
Fatima Khaled Al-Dibo فاطمة خالد الديبو
5 years old female injured
Warda Khaled Al-Dibo ورده خالد الديبو
4 years old female injured

The victims were named as:

Najwa Muhammad Al-Ashtar نجوى محمد الأشتر
28 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • Image Caption: "Syrian regime warplanes fired a missile on Martyr Ahmad Alloush School known as al Reifiya School in Kafar nabil city in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, partially damaging its building and severely damaging its furniture, on August 1, 2019." (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Caption translation: Kafr Nubul has been under Russian bombardment a while ago.
  • Caption translation: The second raid.
  • Caption translation: Five injuries from one family in the city of Kafranbel, south of Idlib, as a result of targeting the city with vacuum missiles by Assad's warplanes and Russia.
  • Caption translation: Four casualties in two airstrikes that targeted the rural school and a house in the city of Kafar Nubul.
  • Caption translation: A woman was killed and four civilians were wounded as a result of being targeted by the Russian warplanes with an air strike on the town of Kafr Nubul in the southern countryside of Idlib. The actor of Russian warfare
  • Aftermath of a raid in Kafar Nubul that hit a school causing damage on August 1st, 2019. (via@FSLA2011).
  • Destruction in a school in Kafar Nubul as a result of alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes or shelling on August 1st, 2019. (via @FSLA2011).
  • Caption translation: Kafar Nubul a while ago.
  • Caption translation; Civilians were wounded in a raid by the warplanes on the city of Kafar Nubul in the southern countryside of Idlib.
  • Caption translation: A displaced martyr from Homs and four wounded and destroyed in Ahmed Al-Aloush School, as a result of raids targeting the city
  • One of six civilians reportedly injured in alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes or shelling on Kafar Nubul on August 1st, 2019. (via Justice Organisation).

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1706

Incident date

November 27, 2016

Location

الميسر , Al Mayssar neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.212011, 37.171227 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

@RFS_NORTH tweeted that “the forces of the regime bombardedthe Al-Maysar and Karam Tarab neighborhoods in Aleppo with heavy artillery shells” – but made no mention of civilian harm.

But according to HNN, one unidentified civilian died from a Russian strike on the Al Mayssar neighbourhood.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ 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 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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4004

Incident date

August 11, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed in airstrikes on Khan Sheikoun, Idlib, on August 11th.

Shaam News reported that “Russian and Regime warplanes and helicopters launched airstrikes on the first day of Eid al-Adha, leaving a martyr in Khan Sheikhoun.”

The Syrian Human Rights Committee also said that  “three people, including a child, were killed as a result of the Russian and Syrian warplanes bombing the city of Khan Sheikhoun and the towns of Hazarin and Hass.”. It is unclear whether the victim in Khan Sheikhoun was a child or an adult.

No other information is known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]