Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Two children, a brother and a sister, died and up to dozens more civilians were injured in airstrikes on Douma, according to sources on the ground. The majority of sources reported that this was the work of the Syrian regime. One source, LCCSY, blamed Russian, reporting that the children died when cluster bombs were dropped on the city.
Other sources pointed towards the regime. The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed “government forces shelling” and later “government rocket launchers”.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “regime forces launched several missiles believed to be ground-to-ground on areas in the city of Douma in the Eastern Ghouta, which killed a boy child and a girl child from the same family and wounded seven other people”.
Syria News Desk reported that the regime struck “civilian neighborhoods and markets in Douma with five cluster bombs” – killing the two children and wounding “dozens” more civilians.
Micro Syria, Syrian Press Center, Radio Alkul and Jidrtv also attributed the event to the Syrian regime.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Family members (2)
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the city of Douma (دوما), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.5714804, 36.4033699. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (19) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]
-
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Aisha and Mustafa Al Saleik, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Douma, 20th October 2016. (via SN4HR) -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
A child, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid which struck Douma. (via sohaib_sszz)
Russian Military Assessment:
Original strike reports
On 20th October 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported on the decisions made aimed towards stabilising the situation in Aleppo.
""Today, strikes by the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force are finished at 10:00 (MSK) in the area of Aleppo. Early termination of the airstrikes is essential for holding a “humanitarian pause” on October 20, 2016”, said General of the Army Sergei Shoigu. According to him, it will allow to guarantee security of civilians leaving the city through 6 humanitarian corridors and to prepare casualty and medical evacuation from the eastern part of Aleppo.
“We apply to the leadership of countries influencing on armed formations active in the eastern part of Aleppo with a proposal to convince their leaders to stop warfare and leave the city,” stated the Minister of Defence.
According to General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, by the start of the “humanitarian pause” the Syrian troops will have been withdrawn to the distance safe for insurgents to leave the city with weapons through two special corridors: one – along the Kastello road, second – in the area of Suk al-Hai market."