Conflict

Russian Military in Syria

Incident Code

RS1914

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 23, 2025

(Previous Incident Codes: R1794RS1924)

Eleven named civilians were killed – including five children, a woman and two men – and dozens more were wounded in an alleged air and artillery strike on a market in Douma, according to reports from the ground. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Many attributed the strikes to Russian missiles, while others reported the Syrian regime was responsible for ground artillery shelling.

Three of the children killed in the airstrike were siblings. One man was a blacksmith who worked in the market.

The strikes allegedly struck a popular market and residential neighbourhood with napalm bombs and missiles. Additionally, many sources reported that land-to-land missiles and artillery shells were used in the bombardment. Many of the shells resulted in a “severe blast” according to Shaam.

Additionally, sources such as Alsouria reported that eight raids occurred, each one carrying at least two missiles. 

Video footage showed huge fires in the immediate aftermath of the raid, with civilians being dragged from burning buildings. Douma Revolution reported that bodies were charred from the fires caused by the blast. 

Many wounded civilians were trapped under the rubble, and video footage showed the Syrian Civil Defence searching for the missing.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, some of the injuries were so severe that the death toll was expected to rise.

Victims

Family members (2)

Adult killed
Child killed

Family members (4)

Child siblings killed
Child siblings killed
Child siblings killed
Adult female mother of the three siblings killed

Individuals

[Abu Adnan], blacksmith killed
male [Abu Mahmoud], his body was charred killed
Child male killed
Child died of wounds on the 28th killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Civilians reported killed
11–13
5 Children, 1 Woman, 2 Men
Civilians reported injured
12–24

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.

Military Statements

Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
Russia has not reported any strikes between February 1st – 31st 2017.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media from Sources (18)