Conflict

Russian Military in Syria

Incident Code

RS0491

Location

الغنطو, Al Ghantu, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.82179, 36.69605
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 23, 2025

(Previous Incident Codes: R418RS486)

Eleven civilians died including three women and seven children in alleged Russian raids on Al Ghantu, according to local sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “warplanes believed to be Russian” killed 11 civilians, including three women and seven children. They said that a man and his wife and three of their children were among those killed.

The Shaam News Network put the death toll at ten, with dozens more wounded and reported “massive destruction to civilian property” as the result of alleged Russian bombing. They posted a very disturbing video depicting casualties, including bodies that had been blown to pieces.

 

Victims

Family members (6)

Child named by FreeSyria killed
Child named by FreeSyria killed
Child named by FreeSyria killed
Adult female named by FreeSyria killed
named by FreeSyria killed
Child male named by FreeSyria killed

Individuals

Child named by FreeSyria killed
female named by FreeSyria killed
Child named by FreeSyria killed
female named by FreeSyria killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Civilians reported killed
10–11
7 Children, 3 Women
Civilians reported injured
24

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Ghantu (الغنطو), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.82179, 36.69605. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…In the Vadi Kaddahat plain (Homs province), after the UAV confirmation of the data received from the Syrian governmental troops concerning a terrorists’ strong point, the object was engaged. Objective monitoring data registered destruction of two automobile vehicles with large-caliber machine guns and elimination of 10 militants.“

Media From Sources (3)