(Previous Incident Code: R002a)

According to SN4HR, Russian actions reportedly killed eight or more civilians – including four children, most from one family – in a further series of strikes as part of the Kremlin’s first day of military action in Syria.

VDC placed the toll at 11 civilian deaths, with its local contact reporting: “Russian warplanes, likely Sukhoi jets, targeted the southern entrance to Rastan city at about 11:30 am, destroying a simple house for civilians of the al-Taweel family, causing the death of six civilians and injuring several others, although the area had no military significance.”

An anonymous local doctor added that “five others passed away after succumbing to their wounds, bringing the death toll up to 11 civilians.”

VDC named 6 of the victims.

According to the Syrian state-run news agency SANA, Russian warplanes targeted a number of “ISIS dens” in Homs, though locals insisted there was no Daesh presence at Al rastan. Russian media made no mention of civilian casualties – with TASS referring only to “pinpoint airstrikes” against what were described as ‘ISIS targets.’