Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4340

Incident date

January 21, 2020

Location

البارة, Al Bara, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed and four to six others were injured (two children and two women) in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes with rockets on Al Bara in Idlib on January 21st, 2020. SMART said warplanes fired vacuum missiles.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that “At least two civilians were killed as fixed- wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles on east of al Bara village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on January 21.” The Network also said the Russian bombing hit a football playground in Al Bara causing severe damage to the playground.

Justice Organization reported that the “young man” Yamen Bakr was killed in the shelling on the football playground. @syrian191124 added that Bakr was from Quneitra and a Facebook post from Al Bara detailed that Bakr defected from the regime in 2012, was arrested by Kurdish forces, and after he was released he sought refuge in al-Bara. He was married and had two sons.

@anasanas84 identified another man killed, Abu Ahmed Isharah, describing him as a “good character and friend of the revolution”. @abo_aljod84 added that Isharah was from the village of Karsa.

A post from the Local Coordination Committee of Syria referred to the two people killed as “non-civilians” but then added that Bakr was a defected soldier, meaning he would be classified as a civilian. The source also put the number of injured at six, including four women and two children.

Xeber24 provided the lowest casualty numbers, identifying one civilian killed and two civilians injured in the strikes.

The location of the strikes was referred to as a sports stadium or a soccer stadium by various sources.

The vast majority of sources attributed the airstrikes to Russian forces, with a few, including Shaam News, adding that the strikes were carried out in conjunction with the regime.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (40) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Bara village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on January 21st (via SN4HR)
  • "Two civilians were killed by Russian air strikes on the vicinity of Al-Bara village in Idlib countryside" (Image posted by @EyadHoms20)
  • Civil Defense members with the body of one of the victims of alleged Russian strikes on Al-Bara on January 21, 2020. (Image posted by @media_idlib)
  • Civil Defense members with the body of one of the victims of alleged Russian strikes on Al-Bara on January 21, 2020. (Image posted by @media_idlib)
  • Civil Defense members with the body of one of the victims of alleged Russian strikes on Al-Bara on January 21, 2020. (Image posted by @media_idlib)
  • Yamen Bakr, killed in alleged Russian strikes on Al-Bara, with his son. (Image posted by Al Bara News via Facebook)

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (40) [ collapse]