Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1166

Incident date

August 18, 2016

Location

Hosseineh, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.35905, 40.15113 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died in an airstrike on Hosseinieh village, according to one source – though it was unclear whether the strike had been carried out by Russia or the regime.

According to @DeryNews, “Russian warplanes targeted ‎Hosseinieh cluster bombs, sparking several fires civilian homes and agricultural land”.

However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “regime forces targeted areas on roads to the village of Ein Fijeh Wadi Barada, and other areas in the Barada Valley and parts of a ‎Hosseinieh village”.

DBSS reported that a Russian strike on the village led to the deaths of two unidentified civilians.

No other sources mentioned civilian deaths in the village, though several reported that fires broke out following the shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

On August 18th 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that, "Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 tactical bombers took off from airbases on the territories of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran and carried out a group air strike on objects of the ISIS terrorist grouping in the Deir ez-Zor province. As a result, the strikes have eliminated 5 large depots with armament, munitions and fuel, 6 control centres, a large number of militants, artillery positions and armoured hardware of terrorists."

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (12) [ collapse]