Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4296

Incident date

February 9, 2021

Location

ترحين, Tarhin, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between two and five civilians were killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the village of Tarhin, Aleppo governorate, on February 9th, 2021, according to local sources. Up to 10 civilians, including children, were injured.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported: “SOHR activists say that five people, including three unidentified, were killed and four others were injured, this evening, in surface-to-surface missiles fired by the Russian military base in Hmeimim on the oil refineries in the village of Tarhin in the areas held by Turkish-backed factions in Aleppo countryside. The strikes resulted in fires and significant damage to civilians’ property.” The SOHR, however, added that other sources reported that the missiles came from the military academy in Aleppo.

The Syrian Civil Defence wrote on Facebook: “One dead, a number of injured and huge fires by the missile strikes that targeted the primitive fuel refineries in the village of Tarhin, east of Aleppo, this evening, Tuesday, February 9th, our teams are working to search for survivors in addition to extinguishing the fires burning in the place.”

On their website, the SCD wrote that a Toshka surface-to-surface missile loaded with cluster bombs was fired on the village, “which led to the killing of two civilians and wounding four others, as well as the outbreak of very large fires due to the nature of the area, which includes a large number of fuel tanks and primitive refineries.”

Assad Al Zalam posted the names of four victims on Facebook: the men Abdul Hadi Al Hammadi and Muhammad Al Hammadi were killed, while Omar Jumaa Al Ahmad and Abdullah Al Ahmad were reported injured. The source added that the wounded were brought to Al Bab Al Jadid Hospital.

Activists told Shaam News Network that “several long-range missiles targeted the oil burners in the village of Tarhin in the countryside of Aleppo, causing a martyr to fall and wounded among civilians, including children.”

According to Syria News, illegal oil refining burners of Turkey-affiliated militants were targeted, leading to injuries among “the gunmen”, indicating that combatants were injured in the strikes.

@IdlibPlus reported five killed people and a number of injured on the Haragat area of the village of Tarhin. A local source told North Press Agency Syria that “five civilians were killed and ten others were wounded, as a preliminary outcome, with a ground-to-ground missile that targeted Haragat sites in the village of Tarhin, in the eastern countryside of Aleppo.”

Anadolu Agency said that “at least six ballistic missiles fell on the Tarhin area, killing two civilians and wounding six others, in an initial outcome.” @Sy24ria tweeted that three civilians were killed and four others were injured.

Al Modon wrote: “A military source in the National Army confirmed to Al Modon that the Toshka-type surface-to-surface missiles were loaded with cluster bombs from the regime-controlled areas, targeting the town of Tarhin.”

Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the strikes.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Family members (2)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the oil refineries in the area west of the village of Tarhin (ترحين) being struck. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Tarhin are are: 36.516944, 37.541389

  • Reports of the incident mention the oil refineries in the area west of the village of Tarhin (ترحين) being struck.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the village of Tarhin, Aleppo governorate, on February 9th, 2021 (via Halab Today TV).
  • Remnants of a missile after alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the village of Tarhin, Aleppo governorate, on February 9th, 2021 (via Halab Today TV).
  • Footage of alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on Tarhin, Aleppo governorate, on February 9th, 2021 (via Breaking News).
  • Translation: “Unidentified bombing targets the Tarhin area near the city of Al Bab in the eastern countryside of Aleppo” (via @mohmad_rasheed).
  • Translation: “The Russian occupation base in Handarat, north of Aleppo, has repeatedly bombed the Euphrates Shield areas in the countryside of Aleppo, and this time its Tochka missiles reached the Tarhin area near Al Bab, where primitive fuel refining stations are spread” (via @khaleedalkhteb).
  • Translation: “The effects of destruction in the Tarhine area in the countryside of Al-Bab city in the countryside of Aleppo, as a result of regime forces' shelling with missiles” (via SY-24).
  • Translation: “The effects of destruction in the Tarhin area in the countryside of Al Bab city in the countryside of Aleppo, as a result of its bombardment by the regime forces with missiles, killing three civilians and four injuries yesterday night” (via @Sy24ria).
  • Remnants of a missile after alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the village of Tarhin, Aleppo governorate, on February 9th, 2021 (via SyriaTV).

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (25) [ collapse]