Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1763

Incident date

December 6, 2016

Location

كفرسجنة, Kafr Sajna, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.52447, 36.590051 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eight civilians were killed and 15 injured in multiple airstrikes on Kafr Sajna, according to local media – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible.

Step News, who put the death toll at four with a “number” of injuries, reported that “warplanes launched four airstrikes with surface rockets this morning [6th] on Kafr Sajna – targeting one civilian in the south of the town, near the school compound and killing four civilians who have not yet been identified because the bodies are charred.”

Up to 15 civilians were also wounded in the incident, with Madar Daily News reporting that on Kafr Sajna, there were “three airstrikes, killing six civilians and wounding 15 others”.

Idlib News Network reported that it was specifically Russian “SU-35” warplanes that struck the town.

Some sources, such as Syria News Desk, placed responsibility with Assad’s regime, however. They reported that “five civilians were killed and ten others were wounded by regime planes launching three raids striking the town of Kafr Sajna.”

LCCSY, who placed responsibility for the event with Russia, stated that eight civilians died in the attack on Kafr Sajna.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Kafr Sajna (كفرسجنة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.52447,36.590051. 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
    4 – 8
  • (2 men)
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Bombing Kafr Sajneh on 6th December 2016
  • Translation: +18 Russian & Syrian Regimes crimes in Idlib
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: The bodies in Kfrgana after air raids on the town.
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Kafr Sajna, December 6, 2016. (Via: Step News)
  • An airstrike on Kafr Sajna, December 6, 2016. (Via: Step News)
  • Translation: Five civilians were killed and ten others were wounded today by regime planes launching three raids on the town of Kafr Sajna - under the control of the opposition in Idlib south.

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.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (2 men)
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (23) [ collapse]