Incident Code

RS1139

Location

عرب سعيد, Arab Said, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.960397, 36.554818
Accuracy: Village

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R1030)

Between three and 13 civilians died and up to dozens more were wounded in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on a fuel market in Arab Said, according to local media. The majority of victims were reportedly so badly burnt that it was impossible to identify them.

The lowest death count was give by Radio AlKul, who said that three civilians died and several more were wounded – though the source added that this was just the initial count. All other reports put the death toll higher.

According to Syria News Desk, “ten civilians were killed and more than five others injured when Russian warplanes targeted a fuel shop in the village of Arab Said”. Laith al-Assi, the media opposition activist from the countryside of Idlib, said that most of the bodies were charred as a result of the huge fire which broke out after the Russian raid.

He added that the civil defence teams took the wounded to medical points in the region and also completely extinguished the fire which had burnt thousands of litres of fuel and caused much damage to the area.

LCCSY – who put the death toll at 10 – reported that a truck “near a petrol station” was struck by Russian jets.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the strike was on “a fuel market”, killing 13 non-combatants. A number of other sources added that “dozens” more were injured.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed to “government warplanes and its allies”.

Victims

Invidivuals

Ghiath Mustafa Al-shekh
Age unknown named by SN4HR killed
Asaaf Aslan
Age unknown named by SN4HR 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
3–13
Civilians reported injured
2–24

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Arab Said (عرب سعيد), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.960397, 36.554818. 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 12th – 13th 2016.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (5)