Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1148

Incident date

August 14, 2016

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and nine civilians including up to three children died and as many as 20 more were wounded in airstrikes in Idlib city, said sources on the ground. The majority of reports attributed the event to Russia, though one said that regime helicopters also participated in the assault. Some others sources didn’t identify the culprit.

Syrian Press Centre – who blamed unidentified “warplanes” – reported that more than four strikes occurred, which hit “a medical point near the perimeter of agriculture and industry area and the perimeter of Alknsroh”. This resulted in the outbreak of fires.

The Shaam News Network blamed Russia for the death of one child. All4Syria put the death toll at five with “dozens” more wounded, adding that “Hai al-Sinaa and several neighbourhoods in the city were targeted by Russian raids”.

Smart, also pointing towards Moscow, put the death toll at six including two children with 18 more civilians wounded.

The highest death toll was given by Alsoura, at nine civilians with 20 more injured “”across the province”. The source blamed both “Russian warplanes and regime helicopters”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Samir Zaarour
Age unknown male named by VDC killed
Mohammad Jihad Recep
Age unknown male named by VDC killed
Renad Jamal
Age unknown named by VDC

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Idlib (إدلب), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.93062, 36.63393. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 9
  • (1–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

On August 14th 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that, "Tu-22M3 long-range bombers took off from the territory of the Russian Federation and carried out concentrated strike with high-explosive fragmentation munitions on objects of the ISIS terrorist grouping in the regions located to the south-west, east, and north-east from Deir ez-Zor. Two command and control centers, six large storages with ammunition and armament, two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, seven off-roaders with large-caliber weaponry, and a lot of insurgents have been eliminated by the aviation strike." They also added that "Terrorists have suffered significant material damage. A lot of insurgents have been eliminated." According to the report the bombers took off from Hmeymim airbase.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 9
  • (1–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]