Incident Code

RS1080

Location

أبو الظهور, Abu al Duhur, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.738466, 37.0479584
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R977)

More than 10 civilians were killed in alleged airstrikes in Abu al Duhur, close to the location of a downed Russian warplane, according to multiple sources. Reports are conflicted as to whether Russian or Assad regime forces were responsible for the deaths.

Syria Newsdesk reported that “Russian warplanes targeted with more than 30 raids the location where a Russian helicopter was downed in eastern Idlib and the villages of southern Aleppo, which led to the deaths of civilians and wounding of others, amid attempts by civil defence to remove victims trapped under the rubble.”

Halab Today also blamed Russia for the incident, but reported “more than three raids.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also spoke ofintensive raids carried out by a Russian warplane in the Abu al-Duhur area in the eastern countryside of Idlib.It reported that at least 12 citizens were killed, including two children and two female citizens, one of them an old woman, with others injured.

Shaam News Network reported that “Russian aggression planes poured their anger on civilians”. It spoke of “many violent air strikes” in the villages close to the crash site of the Russian helicopter. Activists told the network that the raids killed at least ten people and left dozens wounded.

The LCCSY also put the death toll at ten and said that more than 20 were injured due to Russian airstrikes with vacuum missiles and cluster bombs”. In a later post it stated that 16 people were “killed in the battle breaking the siege on Aleppo and by the Russian airstrikes on the village of ‪#‎abu_zohour‬”. In a third post, the LCCSY restated that the raids were carried out by Russia in the area where a Russian helicopter was downed and the five-member crew was killed.

Syria News Desk also reported the incident and spoke of “more than 30 raids killing at least nine civilians and wounding more than 25 others”.

The Violations Documentation Center listed five civilians and said they were killed by ‘Russian troops’, including an unnamed female child, and an unidentified male child.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights mentioned the incident, however blaming“government warplanes and its allies”. It reported “government forces shelling on Tal Al Toqan town and its neighbouring villages in the suburbs of Idlib governorate” and put the death toll at 13.

Victims

Invidivuals

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Daughter of Riad Makeen
Child female named by VDC killed
Jassim Mohammed Khalif
28 years old named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
Bair Ibrahim Al-Mohammad
65 years old named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
Riad Makain Almthan
5 years old female named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
Hassan Hussein Seikho
30 years old named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
An anonymous martyr
15 years old named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
Anwar Mohammed Juma
70 years old named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
Muhammad Ali Owaid
70 years old named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
Fateem Mohammed Al Jassim
60 years old named by abu.adduhur.mc killed
Ayat Mohammed Ghajar Fateem
Child female named by abu.adduhur.mc killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
14–16
4 Children, 2 Women, 3 Men
Civilians reported injured
2–30

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Abu al Duhur (أبو الظهور), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.738466, 37.0479584. 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
Russia has not reported any strikes between August 1st – 10th 2016.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (5)