Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1172

Incident date

August 20, 2016

Location

أورم الكبرى, Urma al Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1475457, 36.9448239 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 10 and 16 civilians including women and children died and dozens more were wounded in airstrikes on Orme Al-Kubra, local media reported – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the regime. The majority of reports, however, pointed to Russia.

The lowest death count was given as 10 by the Shaam News Network.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “on Saturday afternoon 20 August 2016, alleged Russian warplanes fired missiles at the residential buildings in the vicinity of the market of Urm Al Kubra town, located in the western suburbs of Aleppo governorate. This resulted in the deaths 12 individuals including three children and two women.”

LCCSY put the death toll higher, at 15, blaming “Russian airstrikes with rockets and cluster bombs”, which reportedly struck “a market and four-story building.” A subsequent reported noted that “Russia jointly with the Assad regime committed numerous massacres in Aleppo in Saturday”.

A number of other sources put the death toll as high as 16. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, there was “an aerial bombardment on Orme Al-Kubra and Kafar Halab in which barrel bombs were used”. The Observatory said that of the 16 who died across these two locations, two were children and a further four were women.

However, AMC and Tiqa attributed the event to the regime, with AMC adding that many people were still trapped under the rubble.

Syrian Press Center and other sources noted that dozens had also been claimed wounded.

Halab News listed victims and also named a further 11 unidentified fatalities.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Khalil Mahmoud Darwish
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Rahman Khalil Darwish
Age unknown male killed
Rahman Khalil Darwish
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Mustafa Hamdo
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 16
  • (2–3 children1–4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–36
  • 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 (37) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Inside of a civilian home in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, AMC)
  • Aftermath of the alleged raid. (via AMC)
  • Aftermath of the alleged raid. (via AMC)
  • Aftermath of the alleged raid. (via AMC)
  • The aftermath of the alleged raid. (via, Thiqa News Agency)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between August 20th – 31st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 16
  • (2–3 children1–4 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–36
  • 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 (37) [ collapse]