Incident Code

R4537

Location

جسر الشغور, Jisr Al Shogour, Idlib, Syria

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

On August 5th 2023, between three and four civilian children were injured during shelling allegedly carried out by the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces on a residential neighborhood in the city of Jisr al-Shughur, Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a few days later that one of the children had died from their wounds.

The Syrian Civil Defense (@SyriaCivilDefe) reported that the four children from the same family had suffered “fractures and bruising” when a wall collapsed outside their home following shelling. Syria TV added that one of the injuries was “a case of suffocation due to inhalation of rubble and shelling dust.” The Syrian Civil Defence posted images on the X website, formerly Twitter, of their teams inspecting the aftermath of the shelling and providing medical treatment to a child named Haitham Sarhan Dandash, who is five years old.

@Omar_Madaniah provided the names of three of the children injured: Haitham Sarhan Dandash, five years old, injured, male; Salam Sarham Dandash, five years old, injured, male; Kawkab Sarhan Dandash, fourteen years old, injured female.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on August 10th, five days after the incident, that one of the children later died of her wounds.

Our-Syria news identified the location of the shelling as being close to Al-Turkman Mosque in Jisr al-Shughur.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the shelling, with the Syrian Civil Defense blaming both the Syrian regime and Russian forces while the majority of sources attributed the shelling to the Syrian regime. Syria TV specified that the shelling came from Syrian regime forces stationed in Jourin camp.

Victims

Family members (3)

Haitham Sarhan Dandash
5 years old male injured
Salam Sarham Dandash
5 years old male injured
Kawkab Sarhan Dandash
14 years old female injured

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Artillery
Strike Status
Contested strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
1
1 Child
Civilians reported injured
3–4
3–4 Children

Military Statements

Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (9)