Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1676

Incident date

November 24, 2016

Location

الميسر, Al Maysar, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.212011, 37.171227 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that the al-Maysar neighbourhood in eastern Aleppo was struck by air and artillery strikes, resulting in the death of up to 15 civilians, including children and one woman. Dozens more people were reportedly injured. Sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Besides few exceptions, most sources reported that 14 civilians were killed, and the Violations Documentation identified all 14 by name. No source provided a specific number of wounded, but most referred to “large numbers” or “dozens”.

The incident was reportedly part of a comprehensive shelling of eastern Aleppo that day. Shahed-ayan News said that “at least 27 civilians were killed in the besieged eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo Thursday (November 24th), most of them in the al-Mayser neighborhood, as a result of air and artillery shelling targeting several neighborhoods in the city.” The source quoted an eyewitness who said that 14 people were killed after being struck by artillery, rockets and explosive barrels.

Orient News reported that “Assad forces on Thursday committed a massacre in the neighborhood of Al Myasar in the city of Aleppo, which killed dozens of martyrs and wounded. (…) Activists said that the planes targeted residential buildings in al-Mayser neighborhood with cluster and concussion bombs, killing 14 civilians, including women and children”.

The incident reportedly included both airstrikes and artillery. Moreover, several sources mentioned that cluster bombs had been used. Half of the sources who blamed Russia reported the use of cluster bombs.

There were conflicting reports among the sources who pointed to a culprit. Four sources, @islamnedaa1, @theofficemedia (CLuster), HNN and VDC blamed Russia, while another six sources attributed the event to the Syrian regime. These were Orient News, Al-Jazeera, al-Jarida, Islammemo, Mojahedin News and MasarPressNet. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult female pregnant killed
Child male killed

The victims were named as:

42 years old male killed
Adult male killed
37 years old male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 15
  • (2 children1 woman11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (30) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of the airstrikes, carried out by Russia or the Syrian regime, that struck al-Maysar, Aleppo (via @aboalhodaalhoms tweet)
  • The civil defence trying to rescue civilians in the aftermath of the strikes targeting al-Maysar, Aleppo, reportedly carried out by Russia or the Syrian regime (via Mojaheden News)

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.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 15
  • (2 children1 woman11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (30) [ collapse]