At least 37 civilians, including four children, were reported killed – and more than 72 others injured – in an alleged Russian airstrike on the market in the centre of Ariha, according to multiple reports. Amnesty International placed the death toll at 49 following an investigation.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that Russian warplanes launched three rockets on the market, destroying more than 20 shops and 25 cars. It noted that vital facilities were targeted, and after conducting interviews with witnesses stated that: “Through careful examination of the photo and video evidence we concluded that the airstrikes had targeted a purely civilian marketplace void of any military or weapons depots neither during nor before the attack.”

Mohamad Jattal, a media activist from Ariha, was near the market and went directly to the shelling location. He told SN4HR: “The Russian warplanes launched three rockets that fell on the market. One hit a civilian gathering which turned them to body parts. We still cannot identify the victims. The rockets, possibly vacuum missiles, caused huge damage. The attack destroyed what was left of the market where 20 shops were almost completely destroyed. Most of the victims were vendors who sold their products in the market. Since the Russian warplanes started their airstrikes, the city became free of any presence of the [rebel] Al Fateh Army, so as to protect residents from the shelling. However, it seems that Russia considers civilians a target.”

Relief aid activist Omar Rihawi also described the scene for the Syrian Network: “Civil Defense teams arrived and pulled dead bodies from under the rubble and took the injured to medical points. However, the medical points could not receive all the injured people at once due to the lack of medical supplies. Russian and Syrian regime warplanes have both targeted this market.”

Mohamad Ameen, a media activist and photographer who was near the shelling location, added: “I went to the market a few minutes after the shelling and the scene was horrific. Blood, bodies and body parts were scattered all around the market. I saw a woman sitting next to her husband and children’ dead bodies. She was sobbing and calling to them. It was devastating. The number of the injured individuals reached more than 70, and we do not have the proper medical equipment to deal with this number of injuries.”

The Syrian Network named  30 victims. It also said there were six further unidentified victims. And Shaam News later reported the White Helmets recovered the body of a man under rubble, 20 days after the initial alleged airstrike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.