Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1667

Incident date

November 23, 2016

Location

الشيخ خضر, Sheikh Khudur, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2219801, 37.1749448 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that two civilians were killed and as many as 30 were injured following aerial shelling of the area of Sheikh Khudur, Aleppo.

Syria News Desk’s correspondent in Aleppo reported that “two civilians killed and more than 30 injured in Russian warplane targeting with a vacuum missile the neighbourhood of Al-Sheikh Khudar which is under the control of the opposition east of Aleppo and which is under siege by the regime.”

@ahmad5464561 added that a “flyer helicopter” struck the city with chlorine gasses.

The strikes, that took place as a part of a wider shelling of eastern Aleppo that day, were reportedly carried out by Russia or the Syrian regime. Three sources pointed to Russia while only Al Jazeera pointed to the Syrian regime. However, several sources  merely mentioned that the strikes were carried out by “warplanes”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • 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 (8) [ 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 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
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]