Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3926

Incident date

July 21, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Anas Diab, a volunteer journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense (SCD) was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 20th, 2019.

According to the Syrian Civil Defense, who blamed Russian forces, Anas was documenting the aftermath of previous airstrikes on his town, Khan Sheikhoun, when he was struck with “three consecutive Russian airstrikes”.

Local sources said that Anas Diab, aged 22 and originally from khan Sheikhoun where he got killed, started documenting the Syrian regime’s violations in 2013 and was working as a freelance journalist with Anadolu Agency. Syrian Civil Defence recovered his body out of the rubble.

Anadolu Agency reported from sources that on that day, Russian warplanes flew from Hmeimim base in Lattakia and performed raids on Khan Sheikhoun.

Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the “Russian fired missiles” struck the al Gharbi neighborhood. Local Coordination Committee of Syria reported the attack was carried out with “vacuum space rockets”.

While most sources blamed Russian forces for the attack, Smart News attributed blame to the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Anas Abdel Majid Al Diab أنس عبد المجيد الدياب
22 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 journalist)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (22) [ collapse]

  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via @Step_Agency).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Local Coordination Committee Syria).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab, journalist with the Syrian Civil Defense forces, was killed in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun on July 21st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Anas Diab is a volunteer with the civil defense in the city of Khan Sheikhoun, with a good heart. I do not know laziness and we do not stop work, neither night nor day! Permanent positive energy from place to place and from massacre to massacre, he stayed in Khan Sheikhoun City for the last minute despite all the bombing and the hell that had happened in it Anas was martyred today.
  • The martyrdom of my nephew, civil defense journalist, Anas al-Diab @Anasaldyab
  • Khan Sheikhoun bids farewell to the volunteer journalist in the civil defense "Anas Diab"
  • Funeral of the Syrian Civil Defence volunteer journalist Anas Diyab who got killed as a result of Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun on July 20th, 2019. (via @Sy24ria).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Funeral of the Syrian Civil Defence volunteer journalist Anas Diyab who got killed as a result of Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun on July 20th, 2019. (via @Sy24ria).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Funeral of the Syrian Civil Defence volunteer journalist Anas Diyab who got killed as a result of Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun on July 20th, 2019. (via @Sy24ria).
  • A man crying at the funeral of the Syrian Civil Defence volunteer journalist Anas Diyab who got killed as a result of Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun on July 20th, 2019. (via @Sy24ria).
  • Translation: God bless you my heart Anas Diab, a volunteer journalist with the Civil Defense, martyred as a result of the Russian bombing of his city, Khan Sheikhoun.
  • He left us behind. Anas al-Diab, a colleague and a friend, who fought with his pictures and documents to convey the suffering of civilians in Idlib. Anas Diab, the young man from the city of Khan Sheikhoun, who refused to stay in his city, which was completely destroyed.
  • The death of the media worker Anas Al-Diab, the volunteer with Syrian Civil Defence, as a result of Regime airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun.

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 journalist)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (24) [ collapse]