Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1508

Incident date

October 27, 2016

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight named civilians died and up to 30 more were injured in air and artillery strikes on Douma, according to sources on the ground. Reports blamed both Russian airstrikes and artillery/ mortar shelling by Syrian regime forces. Some reports also pointed to regime warplanes. Among targets hit was a primary school, prompting the Directorate of Education in the city of Douma to suspend schools for at least three days.

According to LCCSY, “10 civilians were martyred and dozens injured due to Russian airstrikes that coincided with Assad’s forces shelling with surface-to-surface missiles, artillery and mortar shells on the neighborhoods in Douma city. Vital facilities such as schools and mosques were targeted”.

Al Jazeera also pointed to both Russia and the regime, reporting that “nine people, including children, were killed and scores more were injured in Russian raids and artillery shelling of the perimeter of a primary school. The school was hit as students left it – and this came just hours after a similar shelling of a school in Idlib, which killed 35 people [incident RS1506]”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed “government missile launchers and artillery” for the death of at least eight civilians, while the Shaam News Network reported that “six farmers were killed in Douma when their car was targeted with a missile by Assad’s forces”.

According to the Step News Agency, “regime aircraft targeted a primary school in Douma in the afternoon [of Oct 27th], killing two people, one of whom was a cleaner and the other a child who happened to be on the nearby road at the time. But there were no victims in the school because students had left before the bombing.”

The White Helmets put the death toll at eight, of which seven were men and one was a child.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khalil Sheikh al Najjar
Age unknown killed
Akram Sa’ab
Age unknown killed
Tarek Zare’
Age unknown killed
Adnan al Hamouri
Age unknown killed
Abd al Nasser Al Kteifani
Age unknown killed
Mohammad al Masri
Age unknown killed
Mohammad Oyoun
Age unknown killed
Ibrahim al Nabulsi
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 10
  • (1 child7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–30
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Moments after the attack on a school in Douma, Oct 27th (via DorarTV)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid which struck a school killing 8-10 people. (via Damascus white helmets)
  • Damage caused in the aftermath of the alleged raid. (via Halab Today TV)
  • Footage showing damage to a school which was hit in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on DOuma, Oct 27th (via Yasser Aldoumani)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victims of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid which struck a school killing 8-10 people. (via RevolutionSyria)
  • "Today there have been reports of bombing of schools in Damascus and West of Aleppo, which should deepen the disgust and anger." (via UNICEFinArabic)
  • A missile in found in Douma in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raids. (via Syria_Pluse)
  • Vehicles destroyed in the raids. (via Syria_Pluse)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

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."

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 10
  • (1 child7 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–30
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]