Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R3898

Incident date

November 4, 2019

Location

جسر الشغور,, Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81425, 36.319812 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, reportedly from the same family, died and up to seven more including three named members of the civil defence were wounded in a series of alleged Russian and regime strikes on multiple locations – including a school, health centre, and vegetable market – in Jisr al-Shughour.

According to Local Coordination Committees Syria, there were four Russian airstrikes “targeting a school in the city”, killing three civilians and injuring four more, including women and children, this monday morning. However, the White Helmets attributed blame for the school strikes to the regime.

There were also multiple reports that the White Helmets and their ambulance were targeted whilst attending the scene of an earlier strike in the city.

The Shaam News Network reported: “Activists said that the rocket shelling was the heaviest in the city of Jisr al-Shughour today [Nov 4th], targeting most of the neighborhoods of the city, recording significant damage in the health clinic and the popular market and several educational schools, also causing injuries among civilians.

The Civil Defence team was directly targeted by rocket launchers, while inspecting one of the shelling sites in the eastern neighbourhood of the city, damaging a civil defence vehicle and moderately wounding three members [of the civil defence].”

The White Helmets named the injured volunteers as Abdul Raouf Khayro, Wael Shariqi and Hassan al-Abdo, reporting they were struck by “rocket-propelled grenades fired by Assad forces”. JMVC add that there were four other civilians wounding in addition to the three from the White Helmets. A video posted by Ufuk also shows the wounded White Helmets.

Zaman Al Wasl reported that “the “Mamoun Haj Yahya” school was also partially destroyed after an air strike by Assad’s warplanes targeting the center of “Jisr Al-Shughour”, resulting in light injury to a civilian.”

A video posted by @The_Syrian1 shows two children in an ambulance with the caption “Putin and bashar are children killers,” which indicates that the children were killed. Another video posted by @feraskaram01 shows a teacher and student fleeing from their school, which was struck with artillery.

On the impact on the Jisr al-Shughour clinic, Human Rights Watch said “On November 4, 2019, at 3:25 p.m., an artillery shell struck the clinic’s main gate according to CCTV footage, which shows the timestamp of the explosion. A health worker at the facility who lived nearby said that the area was under heavy shelling at the time. “Because of shelling in the area, we decided to close early that day, around 1 p.m.,” said the health worker. “We sent the 25 patients we were treating home in small groups so as to limit the risk they would be hit. ”No one was wounded, but he and Yazaji, the SCD team leader in Jisr al-Shughour, said that the shelling destroyed the main gate and walls, blew out all the windows and doors, and the center never reopened.”

Sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the regime were responsible for the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Raouf Khayro
Adult male injured
Wael Shariqi
Adult male injured
Hassan al-Abdo
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • 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 belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (30) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • The aftermath of alleged Russian and regime strikes on Jisr al-Shughour, Nov 4th.
  • Three members of the White Helmets were reportedly wounded in the strikes.
  • The White Helmets attend the scene of a strike on Jisr al Shughour, Nov 4th (via MMC)
  • The White Helmets attend the scene of a strike on Jisr al Shughour, Nov 4th (via MMC)
  • The White Helmets attend the scene of a strike on Jisr al Shughour, Nov 4th (via MMC)
  • "Syrian regime forces missile launcher shelled the vegetables market in Jisr al Shoghour city in the western suburbs of Idlib governorate, partially destroying several shops, on November 4." (via SN4HR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded member of the White Helmets following a strike by "rocket-propelled grenades fired by Assad forces" in Jisr al Shughour, Nov 4th (via White Helmets)
  • A wounded member of the White Helmets following a strike by "rocket-propelled grenades fired by Assad forces" in Jisr al Shughour, Nov 4th (via White Helmets)
  • A wounded member of the White Helmets following a strike by "rocket-propelled grenades fired by Assad forces" in Jisr al Shughour, Nov 4th (via White Helmets)
  • Warplanes carries out a second raid while treating the wounded, following the first in Jisr Al-Shughour countryside (screenshot from video) (Image posted by @QasiounAr)

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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • 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 belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (30) [ collapse]