Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4525

Incident date

July 4, 2023

Location

البارة, Al Bara, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On July 4th, 2023 artillery strikes in the town of Al Bara, south of Idlib, wounded a married couple, and the woman, named Radhya Al-Othman as reported by the Syria Civil Defense, died due to her injuries the next day; allegedly the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces are responsible for the attacks.

After the shelling, the Syria Civil Defense responded to treat the couples injuries and civilian ambulance teams transported the husband and wife to medical care. The extent of the man’s injuries and his name have not been found within the sources, and neither the man nor Radhya Al-Othman’s ages can be found. A journalist from Baladi News reported that Al Bara, and the Jabal Al Zawiya area in which Al Bara is located, suffer from a scarcity of medical equipment and medical centres, due to their proximity to “contact lines with the regime forces”.

The Syria Civil Defense alleged the Syrian regime and Russian forces are jointly responsible, Baladi News and the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights alleged the Syrian regime is solely responsible, and Al Mohrar alleged that Russian forces were solely responsible. While the alleged location of the responsible forces cannot be found within the sources, Shaam News reported the shelling affected the outskirts of Al Bara in Jabal Al Zawiya.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Radhya Al-Othman رضية العثمان
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Al Hara on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Al Hara on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Al Hara on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Al Hara on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic image of alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Al Hara on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by @Xd60euW24gEtWPp)
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Al Hara on July 4, 2023. (Image posted by @Almohrar1)

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
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]