Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4023

Incident date

August 14, 2019

Location

بسقيا قرب معرة حرمة, Bsqia near Ma’ret Harma, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

In the second of two consecutive airstrikes near Ma’ret Harma, Idlib, a volunteer from Syria Civil Defense was reported killed on August 14th.

This was following a previous airstrike which killed two ambulance workers from SAMS.

Macro Media Center reported that “a volunteer in the Civil Defense […was] killed after a double Russian air strike on Maaret Harma town south of Idlib.”

Syria Civil Defense stated “the Syrian Civil Defense mourns one of its volunteers, Younis Balouz, from Idlib Directorate, Ma’rat Harmah Center, killed by a double raid by Russian warplanes, while he was carrying out his humanitarian duty to rescue civilians after the first target of a medical point in Bsiqa village in Idlib countryside.”

Etilaf News reported that the attack “coincided with intensive bombardments of 29 points in the countryside of Idlib and Hama, [leaving] dozens of martyrs and wounded.

This source quoted Syria Civil Defense stating that “Younis Balouz” gave “his soul for humanitarian work, adding that he sought to help people after the airstrikes, and rescue the wounded from under the rubble [He] gave a lot of effort and sweat.”

All sources named Russia as the belligerent responsible for the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male Syria Civil Defense member killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Image Caption Translation: "The Syrian Civil Defense mourns one of its volunteers, Younis Balouz, from Idlib Directorate, Ma'rat Harmah Center, killed by a double raid by Russian warplanes, while he was carrying out his humanitarian duty to rescue civilians after the first target of a medical point in Bsiqa village in Idlib countryside." (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Younis Balouz, Syria Civil Defense volunteer, killed in the airstike on August 14th. (via Etilaf News)
  • Caption translation: "The volunteer, Yunus Baluz Abu Jalal, a member of the Civil Defense Center in the town of Maarat Harmah, was martyred in a double air strike while carrying out his humanitarian duty in the southern countryside of Idlib."
  • Translation: "The martyrdom of the volunteer Yunus Bloz From the center of Maarat Harmah, with a double raid by Russian warplanes."
  • Translation: The Syrian Civil Defense mourns one of its volunteers, “Younis Balouz,” who is from the Idlib district, the Maarat Harma center, who died as a result of being targeted by a double raid by the Russian warplanes, while carrying out his humanitarian duty to aid civilians after the first targeting of a medical point in the village of Basqa in Idlib countryside.

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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]