Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4444

Incident date

March 23, 2022

Location

بلدتي معارة النعسان و كفرنوران, between Maaret Al Nassan and Kafar Nuran, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians, farmers, were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling between the towns of Maarat Al-Naasan and Kafr Nuran on March 23, 2022.

The Syrian Civil Defense reported that two farmers were injured in artillery shelling by Syrian regime and Russian forces on agricultural fields between the towns of Maarat Al-Naasan and Kafr Nuran.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that the shelling occurred near the administrative border with Aleppo province.

A tweet from @Blal_Haj_Ahmad, a local reporter, stated that “more than 50 mortar and artillery shells” had been launched in the vicinity of the village of Maarat Al-Naasan., in conjunction with the flight of reconnaissance planes in the area.

The majority of sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to regime forces, with North Press Agency specifically blaming “Syrian government forces stationed in the 46th Regiment”. However, the Syrian Civil Defense and Enab Baladi New mentioned both the regime and Russia as being responsible for the injuries. Enab Baladi added that the town is close to the front lines between Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the regime forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda/HTS

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Impact from shelling on an agricultural field between the towns of Maarat Al-Naasan and Kafr Nuran on March 23, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)

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
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda/HTS

Sources (14) [ collapse]