Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1552

Incident date

November 9, 2016

Location

بشنطرة, Bashantra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2211157, 37.0027251 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three civilians were killed and up to nine others injured in airstrikes that struck the town of Bashantra in Aleppo. Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible – some blaming Russia and others blaming the Syrian regime. 

According to most sources, missiles carrying cluster bombs were used. Vedeng News specified that four raids took place in Banshantra.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bashantra (بشنطرة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.2211157, 37.0027251. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–9
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones”.

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces had carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–9
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]