Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1779

Incident date

December 8, 2016

Location

الفردوس, Al Ferdos, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.180995, 37.151892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Airstrikes on Aleppo’s Al Ferdos neighbourhood killed three civilians, local sources reported – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

The incident was reportedly part of a larger aerial shelling of Aleppo, that in total killed and wounded “dozens” on December 8th 2016, Aletihad Press News reported. According to that source, the shelling of Al Ferdos led to three civilian fatalities.

@HalabTodayTV additionally reported that “the regime forces targeted the Al Ferdos neighbourhood in Aleppo, which has been besieged by more than 100 missiles and missiles since the morning [Dec 8th]”.

@HalabTodayTV (and several other sources) pointed to the Syrian regime. However, other sources attributed the event to Russia. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

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 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.”

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
    3
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]