Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS1810

Incident date

December 29, 2016

Location

حرستا, Harasta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55869, 36.36515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were killed – including a man and a woman and a child – and many more were wounded, in alleged air and artillery strikes on Harasta. All sources blamed the Syrian regime for the raids, except LCCSY who blamed Russian warplanes. 

According to sources, the artillery and air bombardment targeted a school and residential neighbourhood.

No specific number of wounded civilians were reported, however one source claimed that “many” were injured. One video showed a child seriously wounded in the aftermath of the raid from the strike which hit his school.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Al - Ghorani (Abu Al - Fawz)
Adult male football player of Harasta Sports Club killed
Hala Al - Qaseer
Child female killed
Ayman Haidar
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian is taken to a medical facility in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Harasta, 29th December 2016. (via Syrian Civil Defense Center Damascus countryside)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A seriously wounded young boy in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Harasta, 29th December 2016. (via Unified Media Office in Arbeen)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded young boy in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Harasta, 29th December 2016. (via @SN4HR)
  • Mohammed Fayez al - Ghorani., killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Harasta, 29th December 2016. (via Saqaba sports club)

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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]