Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4137

Incident date

November 6, 2019

Location

بلدة السحارة, Sahara town, western Aleppo countryside, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.185988, 36.847777 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as eight civilians, including children and women, died and up to 29 more were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on civilian homes and adjacent locations in Sahara town, western Aleppo countryside at noon on November 6, 2019, according to sources on the ground.

The New York Times later geolocated the event.

The lowest death count was give as two by @thiqanewsagency. However, other sources said that six or seven civilians perished.

The Smart News Agency reported that local activists told them “six civilians were killed and more than 15 others wounded as a result of warplanes bombarding a religious institute, residential houses and a random camp, all of them next to each other”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said the six killed included a girl and her mother. Other sources said two women and two children died.

The White Helmets published a distressing video showing one of its members collapsing when he viewed the scene. The caption said: “Volunteer Omar Al-Homoud collpased when the body of another child who was martyred was found dead in the town of Al-Sahara this afternoon [Nov 6th]. Omar returned to the scene after learning of a missing child in the rubble and remembered his family, who died in a similar bombing.”

The White Helmets added that “seven people died, 25 were injured, and five houses were destroyed”, while @ShahbaPress said that the death toll included two children and a woman from the same family.

The White Helmets published named of the victims.The civilians killed: Issa Albaik, the daughter of Mohammed Khaled Hilal, and Dipo Sha’r. The civilians injured: Ahmad Amin 33 years old, Abd Al Rahmman sha’r  30, Mohammed Tarra 40, Abdallah Khudur 42, Ahmed Abdulrahman Bakro 30 years old, Siham Taha is 60 years old, Hamdo Wahiba 27 years old, Abdul Rahman Mustafa 33 years old, Ahmed Abdel Hamid, 28 years old, Raja’ Taha is 50 years old, Abdul Rahman Ali Jourieh 43 years old, Issa Hilal, Omar Traissa.

Syrian Human Rights Committee also added named of civilians killed: Ahmed Khaled Hilal, wife of Muhammad Khaled Hilal, Omar Rahmo Omar, Muhammad Omar Al-Beik, the girl Asma Yusef (2 years). 

A post by Edu Aleppo posted about one of their teachers that was killed: “the Directorate of Education in Aleppo mourns the teacher Ahmed Khaled Hilal, who was martyred by the brutal bombing by the Russian air force.”

Images and stories were also posted of Muhammad Khaled Hilal, who was mourning after his daughter and his wife were killed in the airstrikes.

A tweet from @mohmad_rasheed included a video that showed a baby being rescued from the rubble – it is unclear the extent of the injuries the baby suffered.

A video posted by Syria media forum reported “thirty-six martyrs and wounded as a result of air strikes by Russian warplanes targeting residential neighborhoods in the town of Sahara.”

Multiple sources published numerous images documenting the extent of destruction.

The vast majority of sources attributed the strikes to Russia. However, @thiqanewsagency blamed the regime for the strikes.

The incident occured around midday.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

male killed
Issa Hilal
Age unknown male injured
The daughter of Mohammed Khaled Hilal
Age unknown female killed
The wife of Muhammad Khaled Hilal
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Amin
33 years old male injured
Abd Al Rahmman sha’r
40 years old male injured
Mohamed Tarra
40 years old male injured
Abdallah Khudur
42 years old male injured
Ahmed Abdulrahman Bakro
30 years old male injured
Siham Taha
60 years old injured
Hamdo Wahiba
27 years old male injured
Abdul Rahman Mustafa
33 years old male injured
Ahmed Abdel Hamid,
28 years old male injured
Raja’ Taha
50 years old male injured
Abdul Rahman Ali Jourieh
43 years old injured
Omar Traissa
Age unknown male injured
Issa Albaik
Age unknown male killed
Dipo Sha’r
Age unknown male killed
Omar Rahmo Omar
Age unknown male killed
Muhammad Omar Al-Beik
Age unknown male killed
Asma Yusef
2 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 8
  • (1–2 children1–2 women5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–29
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (48) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (29) [ collapse]

  • Bodies of civilians following an alleged Russian airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th (via SN4HR)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via SO4HR)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russia airstrike on Sahara town, Nov 6th 2019 (via White Helmets)
  • Translation: "7 martyrs, including two children and a woman from the same family, and 13 wounded civilians, including two women, the outcome of the Russian raids on the town of al-Sahara in the western countryside of Aleppo on Wednesday noon."
  • Caption translation: Great destruction, as a result of the Russian warplanes bombing the homes of the people in the town of Sahara, west of Aleppo (Images posted by @alaaahmxghhkkv2)
  • Caption translation: Great destruction, as a result of the Russian warplanes bombing the homes of the people in the town of Sahara, west of Aleppo (Images posted by @alaaahmxghhkkv2)
  • Caption translation: Great destruction, as a result of the Russian warplanes bombing the homes of the people in the town of Sahara, west of Aleppo (Images posted by @alaaahmxghhkkv2)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Caption translation: The image is from the massacre of suicide by Russian aircraft in the western countryside of Aleppo (Image posted by @blaas083blaas083)
  • Caption translation: A Russian air strike targeted residential neighborhoods in the town of "Sahara" in the western countryside of Aleppo, killing 6 civilians and wounding others. Rami Al Sayid Syria, Aleppo 06/11/2019 (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • Caption translation: A Russian air strike targeted residential neighborhoods in the town of "Sahara" in the western countryside of Aleppo, killing 6 civilians and wounding others. Rami Al Sayid Syria, Aleppo 06/11/2019 (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • Caption translation: A Russian air strike targeted residential neighborhoods in the town of "Sahara" in the western countryside of Aleppo, killing 6 civilians and wounding others. Rami Al Sayid Syria, Aleppo 06/11/2019 (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • Caption translation: A Russian air strike targeted residential neighborhoods in the town of "Sahara" in the western countryside of Aleppo, killing 6 civilians and wounding others. Rami Al Sayid Syria, Aleppo 06/11/2019 (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • Image of Issa al-Baik, killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Sahara on November 6, 2019 (Image posted by Mostafa Al Qaser via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: Between the shock and the reality ... the Russian aviation robbed Haji of his children’s joy in the village of Sahara. (Image posted by @Qussai_jukhadar)
  • Caption translation: Muhammad Omar Al-Baik joins the convoy of martyrs who were martyred yesterday in the Russian bombing of the village of Al-Sahara, bringing the number of its martyrs to eight (Image posted by Nasser Shaikh Abdulhai via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: The Directorate of Education in Aleppo mourns the teacher Ahmed Khaled Hilal, who was martyred by the brutal bombing by the Russian air force on the village of sorcery. (Image posted by Edu Aleppo via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Via New York Times: exact geolocation based on moment of impact footage: 36.185988, 36.847777.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 8
  • (1–2 children1–2 women5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–29
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (48) [ collapse]