Conflict

Russian Military in Syria

Incident Code

RS1564

Location

سقبا, Saqba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.519286, 36.382427
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 23, 2025

(Previous Incident Codes: R1424RS1558)

Three civilians – a girl and two women – died and several more were wounded, following an air or artillery strike on Saqba – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime was to blame.

Syrian Press Center reported that surface rockets were used in the attack, with other sources reporting on the use of missiles and heavy artillery shelling. 

According to sources, civilian homes were struck and there was much material damage in the aftermath of the raid. Additionally, SOHR reported that those wounded were critical and that the death toll was expected to rise.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
3
1 Child, 2 Women
Civilians reported injured
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Saqba (سقبا), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.519286, 36.382427. 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 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”.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (7)