Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2163

Incident date

April 24, 2017

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.440813, 36.6493607 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians were killed – including children – and as many as 15 were wounded, following an attack on a popular market selling sells vegetables, fruits and nuts in Khan Sheikhoun. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, with some blaming the Syrian regime and others blaming Russia.

SHRC reported that the strike happened at approximately 3:00pm, and blamed Syrian military aircraft which allegedly attacked the market with a single airstrike which contained two rockets. 

SHCR reported that some of the injured were severe, and there were even amputations. Additionally, other sources claimed that the death toll was likely to rise due to the severity of the wounded. Many bodies of the dead were unrecognisable due to burns. Two of the victims were also “beheaded”, photographic evidence was published to prove it.

The civil defence teams reportedly recovered the victims bodies and took the injured to the nearest medical point in the region because there was no hospital in the city. 

Testimony of “Anas Bakour” Civil Defence in Idlib:

“At three o’clock this afternoon, I heard the military aircraft of the regime fly over the airspace in the southern countryside Idlib, and then again called it struck the popular market in the centre of the city of Khan Sheikun. We rushed to the place where the market was bombed. After arriving at the site of the raid, we were able to evacuate five injured people. There were also more than five victims, including a child who had died. We took the injured to the medical points in the depth of Idlib and its northern outskirts and the remains of an unidentified child remained.”

Testimony of one of the parents of a victim:

“The vendors were selling vegetables in this market. Suddenly, the warplanes attacked us and shelled two missiles. Four martyrs fell in this place together. I do not know the total number of the massacre. That is what I saw. The sellers here are very simple and have no source of income except this simple market. Most of them sell lettuce. The market has no place for anyone armed at all or even a place to have weapons, all of us and all those who come here are civilians. Since the massacre by the regime with chemical weapons, the bombing here in the city has not subsided for one day.”

The incident occured at approximately 3:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male from Hama killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • A news bulletin reporting on the airstrikes in Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via Hadi ABdullah)
  • A news bulletin reporting on the airstrikes in Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via Shaam SNN)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SHRC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casulty in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via Alsouria)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via 77lashi)
  • Poster. (via Idlib white helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Khan Sheikhoun, 24th April 2017. (via SN4HR)

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 strikes between April 1st – 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]