Conflict

Russian Military in Syria

Incident Code

RS1540

Location

Al Dana, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.218763, 36.768638
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 23, 2025

(Previous Incident Codes: R1401RS1534)

Between five and forty civilians, including at least one woman, one child and one adult male, were killed and up to forty were wounded in airstrikes launched against Al Dana town in Idlib.

Most sources only reported preliminary counts of casualties and many expected that the number was higher due to many civilians still stuck under the rubble. Most allegations reported that twelve or thirteen people had been killed, however Alsouria put the death toll much higher at forty.

According to the Local Coordination Committee Syria, the area struck included civilian neighborhoods, a popular market, and a school.

Images and videos posted by various news sources show the aftermath of the airstrikes, which caused buildings to crumble to the ground and covered surrounding areas and people with a layer of dust.

There was not a consensus over who was responsible for the airstrikes. Most national sources, including Local Coordination Committee of Syria, Alsouria News and Syrian Network for Human Rights identified Syrian regime planes as responsible for the attacks. However, a few sources, including Erem News and Jisirtv, blamed Russia for the airstrikes.

Victims

Individuals

Ammar Al-Bakour
Adult male a journalist, Zaman Al Wasl newspaper described Ammar as “One of the most important and active newspaper correspondents” in Syria. He left his wife and child behind in Turkey a year before to return to Syria to cover the war, director of the media office at the Idlib Health Directorate of the Ministry of Interim Government, born in 1980 in Al Mowzara town killed
Ahmed Barbour
male an Orient TV correspondent injured
Unnamed woman
50 years old female had her foot amputated injured

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
5–40
1 Child, 1 Woman, 1 Man
Civilians reported injured
24–40

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Dana(الدانا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.218763, 36.768638. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
Russia has not reported any strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (14)