Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4236

Incident date

December 7, 2019

Location

بلدة البارة, Al Barah, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least four civilians, including one child and two women, were killed and up to dozens were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes that coincided with Syrian regime artillery strikes in the city centre of Al Barah on December 7th, 2019, according to local sources.

Step News Agency reported that Russian raids targeted the main street in the city centre, as well as a mosque and school, while the Syrian regime simultaneously targeted the city with artillery. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that Al Rahman mosque in the suburbs of Al Barah was hit and partly destroyed by Russian airstrikes and Shaam News added that a bakery was also struck. According to the Syrian Civil Defence, the homes of civilians were targeted as well. MMC reported that a popular market was targeted.

According to Smart News Agency, a child and two women were among those killed, and another woman was wounded. According to Ahira, the fourth fatal victim was a male civilian. @SY_plus gave a civilian death toll of five. The Syrian Committee for Human Rights reported that the names of the killed civilians were: Halima Muhammad Al Qashlan, Baraa Abdul Halim Al Qashlan, Fatim Hatim Al Sayyadi and Khaled Haj Hamidi.

Orient News identified Fatim as being displaced from the city of Halfaya, adding that Halima and Fatim were women and Bara’a was a child.

Macro Media Center also reported that four civilian were killed, adding that dozens were wounded as in the strikes on the market. Various other sources also identified “dozens” injured without specifying how many. A video of an injured baby was tweeted by @turkistantuzbah but it is unclear if the child was injured in Al-Bara or another incident the same day.

Our Syria News mentioned that vacuum missiles were used in the attack and MF-SY added that four airstrikes were carried out.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1 child2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (38) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • Damage inside Al Rahman mosque in Al Bara after alleged Russian airstrikes on December 7th, 2019 (via SN4HR).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the scene of the incident after alleged Russian airstrikes in center of Al Barah on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the scene of the incident after alleged Russian airstrikes on the city center of Al Barah on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the scene of the incident after alleged Russian airstrikes on the city center of Al Barah on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil Defence volunteer carrying a child victim after alleged Russian airstrikes on the city center of Al Barah on December 7th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Destruction caused by strikes on a popular market in the town of Al-Bara on December 7, 2019. (Image posted by @MMCSYR)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on a popular market in the town of Al-Bara on December 7, 2019. (Image posted by @MMCSYR)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on a popular market in the town of Al-Bara on December 7, 2019. (Image posted by @MMCSYR)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on a popular market in the town of Al-Bara on December 7, 2019. (Image posted by @MMCSYR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • With great sadness and sorrow, we received the news of his death The good man, Khaled Haj Hamidi Abu Ahmed, as a result of the raids that targeted our beloved and righteous town

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
    4 – 5
  • (1 child2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (38) [ collapse]