Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1594

Incident date

November 16, 2016

Location

الشعار, Al Shia'ar , Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2085139, 37.1855771 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to twelve civilians died following alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes on the Al Shia’ar neighbourhood of Aleppo, according to local media.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, cited in Welat-press, “helicopters of the Syrian regime targeted the [neighbourhood with] explosive barrels on Wednesday morning, resulting in a number of wounded”. The majority of sources cited the use of “artillery” and “explosive barrels”.

A correspondent for Aljazeera said the incident at Al Shia’ar was one of  “the most violent for more than a month”. The source went on to report that seven civilians were killed and others injured. Buildings were left in flames and main roads cut off.

According to the Syrian-American Medical Association, cited in Arabic.CNN, an “explosive barrel” hit Al Bayan Hospital for children and the blood bank in Al Shia-ar. The source did not mention civilian harm.

One of the White Helmets alleged the shelling “targeted a school…resulting in the injury of a number of children”. He said the resuce teams and ambulances found it difficult to “reach the target areas because of the continued shelling targeting everything that moves”.

Twelve civilians died, including five children, according to Syrian News Desk. @shahbaPress also put the toll at twelve including an ambulance driver – the source blamed Russia.

LCCSY reported eight killed and 30 wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Khaldoun Erian
Adult male Ambulance driver killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 12
  • (5 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Footage of Al Shia'ar after suspected Russian shelling, November 16th (via 963 963)
  • Scenes of destruction in Al Shia'ar, the impact of suspected Russian shelling, November 16th (via Albo Azizi)
  • Rescue teams at the scene in Al Shia'ar following suspected Russian strikes, November 16th (via SUPER STORM WAVE)
  • A series of photographs of buildings destroyed in allaeged Russian attacks on Al Shia'ar, November 16th (via @ShahbaPress)
  • Blood on the streets on Al Shia'ar, the aftermath of suspected Russian or Regime attacks, November 16th (via @islammemo_cc)
  • Khaldoun Erian, an amublance driver, was killed whilst treating the injured in Al Shia'ar - by suspected Russian or Regime shelling, November 16th (via @Nokhba2)
  • The family of Halabiya sit in the street of Al Shi'ar after their home as destroyed in alleged Russian or Regime attacks, November 16th (via @syriahadath)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Severely injured and killed civilians carried away from the destruction in Al Shi'ar, November 16th (via @AleppoAMC)

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 have 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 infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 12
  • (5 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]