Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1684

Incident date

November 25, 2016

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians including two children were killed and as many as 15 more were wounded following airstrikes targeting Douma, Damascus, local media reported. Sources were unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime was responsible.

Most sources reported that the incident led to the death of three civilians, with several reports saying that two children were among the victims. One girl was identified  by several sources.

The strikes were reportedly part of a wider shelling of the countryside of Damascus. According to Al-Jazeera, there were “two dead and dozens more wounded in an  aerial and artillery bombardment by the Syrian regime which targeted the cities and towns of Duma and Kafr Batna and Harsta in the countryside of Damascus.”

@revo_spring reported no less than 15 airstrikes had been carried out that day in the city of Douma. One source, DW, indicated that the city was also struck with artillery by Assad’s forces.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Shahed Al Zaree
Child female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Douma (دوما), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.5714804, 36.4033699. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child victim reportedly killed in Douma, Damascus, Nov 25th (via Shaam News)
  • Up to 15 airstrikes, allegedly carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia, reportedly hit the city of Douma near Damascus, Nov 25th (via @revo_spring)
  • The Civil Defence rescues a small girl from under the rubble in the immediate aftermath of strikes on Douma, Damascus, Nov 25th (via SDFrifdimashq)
  • The Civil Defence rescues a man from under the rubble in the immediate aftermath of strikes on Douma, Damascus, Nov 25th (via SDCrifdimashq)
  • A little girl identified as Shahed Al Zaree was reportedly killed by the contested airstrikes targeting Douma, Damascus, Nov 25th (via Ndouma986 Facebook)
  • A child victim reportedly killed by the airstrikes targeting Douma, Damascus, Nov 25th (via SN4HR)

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.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]