Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1580

Incident date

November 15, 2016

Location

كفر جالس, Kafr Jalis, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.976182, 36.613076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians died in a suspected Russian attack on Kafr Jalis village, north west of Idlib city. The majority of sources alleged Russia was the culprit – most of those that did not listed “warplanes” as responsible. One report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the “warplanes” belonged to “the Syrian regime” carried out the attack.

According to the Observatory, one woman and a child were killed. The source also suspected the death toll would rise due to a number of severely injured civilians.

In a video published by Jisrtv significant material damage was revealed in Kafr Jaliss, the footage also referred to the camp “Kfarhoum” as hit.

@maaramc12 reported six killed including one woman, one child and four men – the tweet cited Russia responsible. @RFS_NORTH reported two children killed and only five civilians overall they too blamed Russia and mentioned the used of “rocket-propelled grenades”.

Twiitbook reported six killed and alleged the Russian strikes “targeted several civilian homes in the centre of the town with more than five rockets at one time”.

Idlib News Network added that “Regime helicopters and warplanes also targeted 34 areas in the province”, meaning that its involvement can’t be ruled out of this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Hilal Shaheen
Adult male killed
Abdo Morjan
Age unknown male killed
Abu Jaber Hermoush
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kafr Jalis (كفر جالس), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.976182, 36.613076. 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
    1 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • The Syrian Network for Human Right's annual report for 2016 details the (via SN4HR)

  • The Syrian Network for Human Right's annual report for 2016 details the (via SN4HR)

  • Footage of the aftermath at the camp of Kfarfoum and village Kafr Jalis in rural Idlib following alleged Russian bombardment, November 15th (via Jisrtv)
  • The White Helmet rescue team at the scene in Kafr Jasliss following alleged Russian shelling, November 15th (via Oreint News)
  • Locals work through the rubble in Kafr Jaliss following alleged Russian strikes, November 15th (via Afpar)
  • Mohammad Hilal Shahin was killed in alleged Russian attacks on Kafr Jaliss. The source reported he was then buried. November 15th (via Kafar Jales in Heart)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

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”.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]