Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1680

Incident date

November 24, 2016

Location

حي باب النيرب, Bab al Nayrab, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1918713, 37.1722841 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple sources reported that airs or artillery strikes targeting the Bab al-Nayrab area of Aleppo killed up to nine civilians, including two children and one woman – and wounded many more. Reports were conflicted whether this was the work of Russia or helicopters dropping barrel bombs belonging to the Assad regime.

The death toll varied from three to nine. Many sources mentioned the death of a woman and a young boy. According to HNN – who cited the use of cluster bombs and blamed Russia – two boys died along with a woman. The source added that “when people gathered to help the injured another warplane targeted the same area with cluster bombs. The final result was more than seven people were killed and many more injured”. 

One source, AleppoAMC, indicated that the incident was caused not only by airstrikes but also land-to-land missiles.

Three sources, Orient News, @syrianewstime, @ShahbaPress, blamed the Syrian regime. Two of these reported that the incident was caused by the “explosive barrels of the Assad helicopters”.

Only two sources, @Syriamubasher and HNN, attributed the strike to Russia.

In one post @ShahbaPress pointed to the Syrian regime, while it in another, pointed to both “Russian and Syrian raids”.

Finally, as many as five sources did not identify the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 9
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child being rescued from under the rubble following the contested strikes targeting Bab Al-Nayrab, Aleppo (via France24)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child being rescued from under the rubble following the contested strikes targeting Bab Al-Nayrab, Aleppo (via Lens.almasryalyoum)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The immediate aftermath of the contested strikes targeting Bab Al-Nayrab, Aleppo, where civilians are trying to rescue victims from under the rubble (via Qasioun News)

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
    3 – 9
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]