Airwars assessment
In what local media referred to as a “massacre”, up to 50 civilians died and as many as 51 more were wounded in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes which hit a popular vegetable market and residential buildings in Aleppo’s Al Ferdos neighbourhood.
Halab News listed 45 bodies as a result of the strikes, with other reports stating that the market was attacked when it was full of hundreds of people going about their shopping and daily life.
Reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible for the raids, though several noted that Russian warplanes returned after the initial attack and struck again as the civil defence were attempting to rescue tens of people from under the rubble.
Media outlets published numerous images depicting widespread destruction to the area, along with graphic photographs of victims – including children – being treated in medical facilities.
Aranews, All4Syria, the Smart News Agency and the Step News Agency were among many sources attributing this event to Moscow. Death counts varied from eight to more than 14 – though Baladi gave the highest death toll of 50 non-combatants.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights initially blamed “government warplanes and its allies”, though subsequent reports pointed to “suspected Russian forces”.
However, Albouzizi and the Syrian Press Center blamed the Assad regime, as did the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which referred to “an aerial bombing and shelling by regime forces”.
Halab News named 3 victims and listed 42 civilian fatalities as unidentified, saying they were killed “following Russian enemy raids with bunker busting missiles on al Ferdos neighbourhood”.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (3)
- Walid al Thalji Child killed
- Rimas al Thalji Child killed
- Khaled al Thalji Age unknown killed
Summary
Sources (37) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (37) [ collapse]
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Russian Armed Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
Russia has not reported any strikes between October 1st – 19th 2016.