Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1621

Incident date

November 18, 2016

Location

بلدة حيان, Hayyan town, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.32417, 37.05886 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians were killed in an airstrike on Hayyan Town, Aleppo – though it is unclear whether the Assad regime or Russia were responsible, with conflicting reports.

Civil Defense Personnel named one of the civilians who was killed as Fuad Mohammed Hayek.

Some sources, such as Emaratalyoum News reported that it was Assad’s regime who were responsible for the raids in Hayyan:

Dozens of civilians were killed and dozens of civilians were injured by the Syrian regime’s helicopters throwing dozens of explosive barrels at the besieged neighbourhoods of Aleppo…The fighters also used cluster bombs in other neighbourhoods in the northern suburbs of the city, targeting the cities of Hreitan, Oujan and Hayyan town with rockets.”

Step News Agency, who placed the death toll at one civilian death, attributed responsibility for the event to Russia, stating: “One person killed and a number of others injured following Russian raids on Hayyan in the northern countryside. A land to land missile also fell on the town.”

HNN listed two civilians having died during the raid on Hayyan.

There was no further information as to how many were wounded in the attack.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One civilian, Fuad Mohammed Hayek, who died in an airstrike on Hayyan. 18th November 2016. (Via: Civil Defense Personnel in Hayan).
  • The burial of Fuad Mohammed Hayek, who died in an airstrike on Hayyan on 18th November 2016. (Via: Civil Defense Personnel in Hayan).
  • The aftermath of shelling on the town of Hayyan, 18th November 2016. (Via: Civil Defense personnel in Hayan).

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 harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]