Conflict

Russian Military in Syria

Incident Code

RS0865

Location

‏العشارة‬, Al Asharah, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.92, 40.56
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 23, 2025

(Previous Incident Codes: R766RS859)

Between 17 and 35 civilians including eight children and two women died and up to 40 others were injured in airstrikes on a popular market and a mosque in Al Asharah town and the Al Hannoush neighbourhood, according to multiple local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was an attack by Russia or the Syrian regime.

LCCSY produced a number of brief reports, and said that the attack was carried out by warplanes thought to be Russian, putting the death toll at 22 civilians including women and children with dozens more wounded. It added that deaths included an entire family.

According to Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently, Russian warplanes struck the town with cluster bombs. It put the death toll as high as 26 non-combatants and posted an image of a funeral two allegedly deceased men.

The Shaam News Network also attributed the incident to Russia and said that 23 civilians died.

According to Baladi, the death toll was as high as 35, including eight members of one family, with another 40 injured. It blamed planes belonging to “Assad and Putin” for raids on Mansour mosque.

Media activist “Alhaji Yahya” for News Now told Akhbaralan that “regime and Russian warplanes” struck a popular market with cluster bombs, killing – among others – “four brothers who were the sons of Hussein Al-hayawi and Dawood Al-Najah and his wife and their two children“.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights didn’t say who was responsible, referring to an “aerial bombardment” on a souq which killed 17 non-combatants including and man and his wife and two of their children.

Citing the Observatory, a BBC report put the death toll at 17 including eight children,

though there was some confusion as to which party was responsible with the report saying that the UK-based Observatory had said that “Syrian government and Russian warplanes were thought to have carried out the strike”.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights said the regime was to blame, reporting that there were at least four victims including two children.

Some other sources said that it was not known whether the warplanes responsible belonged to Russia or Assad.

In a tweet by @Zenynapisajida the figure of those injured was put to 45, they alleged 13 killed including eight children from the same family.

Victims

Individuals

Mohammad Ahmad al Salama
male killed
Saher Awwad al Mohammad al Abd
male killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
17–35
8 Children, 2 Women, 2 Men
Civilians reported injured
10–45

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Asharah (‏العشارة‬), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.92, 40.56. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Unknown Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Unknown
Unknown position on incident
Not yet assessed
Unknown Strike Report
Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media from Sources (5)

Sources (42)

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