Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1741

Incident date

December 5, 2016

Location

تفتناز , Taftanaz, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.9976603, 36.7856598 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that one or two civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike with phosphorus and cluster bombs on Taftanaz.

The Shaam News Network said that one civilian died, however, Shade2taftanaz reported the death of two women.

The incident occured during the night.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Taftanaz (تفتناز), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.9976603, 36.7856598. 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
    1 – 2
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • 'Russian enemy sends death by phosphorus bombs internationally banned to the town of Tufnaz, rural Idlib'
  • Fires following a strike on Taftanaz, Dec 5th.

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 December 1st – 31st 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
    1 – 2
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]