Shortly before 7:14 PM on Monday, September 9, 2024, three children were injured, one of whom sustained critical injuries, in an mortar shelling allegedly carried out by Syrian regime forces and/or the Iranian military and/or the Russian military, hitting residential neighborhoods in the old diesel market area north of Taduf (Tadef), Aleppo, Syria.

Reports from multiple sources, including the Syrian Civil Defense, highlighted the human toll of the attack. Their tweet on September 9, 2024, at 7:14 PM, noted: “Three children were injured, some seriously, as a result of regime forces shelling with mortar shells targeting the city of Tadef.” The Syrian Network for Human Rights further emphasized the violation of international law, stating: “The Syrian regime forces fired several mortar shells, in breach of Security Council Resolutions 2139 and 2254.”

Social media posts from local sources corroborated these accounts, with one report from Facebook user Hamaza describing “intensive artillery shelling on Tadef that injured three children, leaving one in critical condition.” Additionally, Facebook user Saroti implicated Syrian regime militias, Iranian-backed forces, and Russian occupation troops in the attack.

Facebook user Tadf posted graphic photos related to the alleged event. The first image depicted a young boy lying on a stretcher in what appeared to be a medical facility. His face was heavily bloodied, with visible injuries concentrated around his forehead, cheek, and nose. The wounds seemed severe, with dried and fresh blood covering significant portions of his face. In the area around his head, thick drops of fresh blood were glistening on the stretcher. He wore a white tank top, which was soaked in blood on the bottom left side, further highlighting the gravity of his injuries. A yellow jacket, partially unzipped, framed his torso. His eyes were closed, suggesting he might have been unconscious or in significant pain. In the background, a medical trolley stocked with labeled drawers reinforced the clinical setting and the urgency of care.

The second image showed another young boy lying on a stretcher, dressed in a black polo shirt with white patterns and black pants. His injuries included a visible wound on his lower abdomen, which was partially exposed and appeared to be bleeding. It is unclear from the picture whether parts of his intestines were outside of his body due to the wound. Scratches and red marks were also visible on his arms. The boy’s eyes were open, and he seemed alert but visibly distressed. Several adults surrounded him, with one person placing a comforting hand on his cheek, possibly offering reassurance. Another individual held the boy’s hand, adding to the emotional intensity of the scene. The setting appeared to be a hospital or emergency care unit, with the stretcher positioned against a plain background.

Sources inside Al-Bab City Hospital reported that the condition of one of the injured children was critical, and they were being provided with first aid. The sources provided no images of the third injured child. Also, the names and ages of the children are not known at the time of writing.

The Facebook account of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) posted an image related to the event. The image depicted the aftermath of an explosive strike, focusing on a piece of ordnance lodged in the ground. The photograph showed the tail fin of a mortar or rocket shell embedded within a patch of scorched and fragmented earth. The area surrounding the embedded object was marked by blackened and charred debris, with broken gravel and small rocks scattered unevenly. The texture of the ground suggested the impact had been forceful, with the ordnance partially buried into the earth, leaving an impression of the violent event that occurred. The lighting highlighted the metallic sheen of the shell and the devastation around it, giving a stark visual of the destructive nature of the attack. The picture was accompanied by the capture: “Three children were injured after the artillery of the #Syrian_regime forces fired several mortar shells on the old diesel market area north of the city of Taduf, east of #Aleppo governorate, on 9-9-2024.”

When mentioned, sources were conflicted on the responsibility of the attack, divided among the Syrian regime and/or the Russian military and/or the Iranian military.

The incident occured at approximately 7:14 pm local time.