(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 of “intensive 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.