Shortly before 8:56 AM on Thursday, 28 November 2024, four civilian men were killed and 21 civilians, among them children, were injured as a result of the series of airstrikes with the reported use of cluster and vacuum munitions allegedly launched by the Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces on the main market, a mosque and residential houses in the city of Daret Izza, west of Aleppo, Syria.

The Syrian Civil Defence (also known as “White Helmets”) first reported the incident on Twitter/X at 8:56 AM, writing about injuries. The Syrian Civil Defence stated on Twitter/X at 10:48 am of the same day that four people were killed and 15 people (including children) had been severely injured, but a later tweet by the Syrian Network for Human Rights posted on 29 November 2024 reported instead that 21 people were injured.

The people who died in the attack were identified by the Facebook post “Darat Azza” as  Mohammed Abdalmun’em Abbas, Omar Abdulhamid Abbas, Samir Qariwi (son of the late Ali Qaddour Qariwi), and Abdul Rahman Naser Al Omar Muhajir. As it is seen from the images attached to the post, they all were adult men. According to the post by Ahmed Rashid, Abdul Rahman Nasser Al Omar was displaced before his death.

Furthermore, the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that Sheikh Mohammad Mosque also suffered infrastructural damage.

The Syrian Civil Defense posted photos showing the aftermath of the attack – the damaged buildings and market stalls with an ambulance standing nearby.

The Facebook user Mohammed Mohi El-Din Hamou posted a video of the aftermath, reporting in the caption that five consecutive raids hit the commercial market of Daret Izza leading to the death of the four men mentioned above. The video showed pieces of broken glass on the ground and fruit scattered on the ground.

The Facebook user Ahmed Rashid reported that cluster and vacuum munitions were used in three consecutive raids which killed the four men mentioned above, destroyed several homes, and left dozens of families homeless.

Friends and neighbours mourned the deaths of Mohammed, Omar, Samir and Abdul Rahman.

Ahmed Rashid wrote a Facebook tribute to the late Omar Abdulhamid Abbas, calling him “my dear neighbor” and a “beautiful martyr”. He added an image of Omar, pictured sitting on the couch and holding an infant child in his hands.

Abdo Alosh mourned the death of Mohammed Abdalmun’em Abbas on Facebook, writing: “The young man, Muhammad Abd al-Mun’im Abbas, passed away as a result of the airstrike on the city. May God have mercy on you and accept you among the martyrs who intercede for their families.” He added an image of Mohammed who was a man pictured wearing a black hoodie with white stripes.

Facebook user Abdo remembered Samir Qariwi, writing “Samir Qariwi, son of the late Ali Qaddour Qariwi, passed away as a result of the military bombardment of the city. We ask God to have mercy on him and grant his family patience and solace.” He also posted an image of the late Samir who was a man pictured dressed in a checkered shirt and a grey blazer.

Where sources identified the belligerent, most of the sources attributed responsibility for the strike to the Russian military. However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights held the Syrian regime forces accountable. Therefore, Airwars has graded both Strike Status and Civilian Harm Status as Contested.

The incident occured at approximately 8:56 am local time.