(Previous Incident Codes: R1301RS1429)

In what local media described as a ‘massacre’, 52 civilians including up to 10 children and seven women died and dozens more were wounded in airstrikes on Bustan al-Qasr  in Aleppo – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime. There were reports of bunker-busting missiles and helicopters being used in the attacks.

According to The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR), “the death toll rose to at least 40 including 10 children and five women due to suspected Russian warplanes firing missiles on Bustan Al Qasr neighbourhood in Aleppo city”.

Multiple sources said that residential buildings were destroyed, leaving many civilians trapped under the rubble. According to Revolution Syria, a children’s medical center was struck, while IranArabSpring reported that “a children’s school’ was shelled.

Shahed Ayan reported that “warplanes fired five missiles at residential building in Bustan Al-Qaser and killed 25 civilians and wounded more than 30”. However, according to Halab News Network (HNN) and Video Documentation Center Syria (VDC) the total number of victims rose to 52, and the two media identified the names of 47 of the victims.

The exact number of wounded also varied, but as shown above, most sources reported put the number at between 20 and 30. The Twitter account Mhridadnikiskyar identified one of the injured as the child Raghad Ibrahim.

Most sources – VDC, Ara News, Syria Press Center, ShahbaPress, SN4HR, LCCSY and Step News Agency – blamed Russia. Only one sources. al-Hal, pointed to the Assad regime, while Human Rights Watch, Orient News, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Shaam News Network attributed the event to both Russia and the Assad regime.

Halab News Network and VDC named 47 victims and also listed 5 unidentified males.