Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4371

Incident date

January 27–28, 2020

Location

في الطريق إلى سرجة, on the way to Sarja, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One member of the Syrian Civil Defense was killed, and two more injured, by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Sarja, Idlib governorate between January the 27th and 28th 2020, according to local media reports. The unit of volunteers was reportedly on its way to the aftermath of another bombing when they were targeted.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said: “Othman al Othman, a member of Civil Defense Bazabour center, from Nahla village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, was killed and two other members were injured as Syrian regime fixed-wing warplanes fired missiles near Civil Defense teams in Sarja village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, while they were heading to evacuate the injured of previous bombing by fixed-wing warplanes we believe were Russian, on January 27.”

@SyriaCivilDefe named the two injured men as Hussein Bahsik and Ahmed Badawi. The volunteers, who belonged to the Bazabour Center, were injured in the evening from a strike carried out by Syrian regime aircraft, according to the source.

Smart News quoted a civil defense source saying: “the regime’s warplanes carried out a double raid on the village, as the volunteers went to the location of the first raid to inspect the place and evacuate the wounded, and upon their arrival the planes carried out the second raid.”

In a Facebook post, the Syrian Civil Defence said the two men were injured when they were targeted by the warplane’s machine gun. The source alleged to have documented 51 airstrikes by Russian warplanes and 39 barrel bomb strikes. Of the locations named as having been targeted was the village of Sarja.

@thawrat111 said the strike resulted in the “injury of the rest of the team members” without specifying how many.

@HalabTodayTV said vacuum munitions were used in the strike.

@EyadHoms20 and @EuphratesPost reported that the incident occurred at dawn.

Shaam News posted a video showing the children and colleagues of Othman al Othman grieving during his funeral.

The majority of the sources alleged that the Syrian regime had carried out the strike.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male from Nahla village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate killed
Age unknown male volunteers in the Civil Defense from the Bazabour Center in Idlib countryside injured
Age unknown male volunteers in the Civil Defense from the Bazabour Center in Idlib countryside injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Othman al Othman, a Syrian Civil Defense volunteer, was killed by an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike near the village of Sarja, Idlib governorate between January 27th and 28th, 2020. (via SN4HR)
  • Othman al Othman, a Syrian Civil Defense volunteer, was killed by an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike near the village of Sarja, Idlib governorate between January 27th and 28th, 2020. (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Ahmed Badawi and Hussein Bahsik, two members of the Syrian Civil Defense who were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes that killed one of their colleagues in the village of Sarja, Idlib governorate between January the 27th and 28th 2020. (uploaded by @SyriaCivilDefe)

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
  • (1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]