Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4337

Incident date

July 3, 2021

Location

أريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least five civilians, including between two and four children and two women, were injured in alleged Russian or regime strikes on the city of Ariha on July 3, 2021.

According to Syrian Civil Defense, “5 civilians, including two children and two women, were injured, among the wounded, in critical cases, in artillery shelling by the regime and Russia forces targeting residential neighborhoods in the city of Ariha”.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “five people, including four children” were injured and that some of the injuries were serious.

Ariha Today provided the names of four of those injured: Abeer Hindawi, 13 years old  (F); Saba Hindawi 14 years old  (F); Lamar Hindawi 7 years old  (F); Bisan Hindawi 8 years old  (F)

An image posted by @khaleedalkhteb shows an injured child being carried to an ambulance and a video posted by @anasanas84 includes White Helmets rescuing women and children following the strikes.

Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that shelling on Ariha landed “on Tishreen School in al Gharbi neighborhood in the city, partly damaging the school’s structure and furniture. SNHR can confirm that the school is in a residential area free of any military equipment or presence.”

@Nabel_othman023 identified 12 shells as striking the city of Ariha at the time of reporting while Syrian Observatory for Human Rights counted “nearly 15 rockets”. A tweet from @HadiAlabdallah reported that both artillery and missiles were part of the bombing.

The majority of sources attributed the strikes to the regime. However, Macro Media Center blamed Russia for the “the heavy bombardment of the city of Ariha”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

13 years old female injured
14 years old female injured
7 years old female injured
8 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • Smoke surrounding the city of Ariha following bombing on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Smoke surrounding the city of Ariha following bombing on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Smoke surrounding the city of Ariha following bombing on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Smoke surrounding the city of Ariha following bombing on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by @anasanas84)
  • Image of an injured boy being carried to an ambulance following strikes on Ariha on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by @khaleedalkhteb)
  • White Helmets sorting through the rubble following strikes on Ariha on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by @abdalwhab761)
  • White Helmets load injured victims into an ambulance following strikes on the town of Ariha on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • White Helmets and civilians carry injured victims into an ambulance following strikes on the town of Ariha on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Civilians carry injured victims into an ambulance following strikes on the town of Ariha on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • White Helmets load injured victims into an ambulance following strikes on the town of Ariha on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • The first moments of the response of the Syrian Civil Defense teams to the bombing of the city of Jericho, which left 5 injuries, including critical cases.
  • Image of Tishreen School in al Gharbi neighborhood, which was struck during shelling of Ariha on July 3, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Network for Human Rights)

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]