Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2271

Incident date

June 5, 2017

Location

طفس , Taftas town, Daraa, Syria

Geolocation

32.735089, 36.067813 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported the killing of between four and 14 civilians, including children, and the wounding of up to 31 more in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on civilian areas of the city of Tafas.

Some sources reported that two more civilians succumbed to their wounds after treatment in medical facilities.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights was among several sources putting the death toll at four – though other sources said that the death toll had risen to 12 – and multiple reports named 11 victims. SN4HR attributed the civilian harm to “Syrian-Russian alliance warplanes”.

According to the Shaam News Network, “a horrific massacre took place in the city of Tafas in the village of Daraa after violent raids directly targeting civilian houses. The Civil Defence teams went to the targeted areas to work on lifting the rubble and transporting the martyrs and wounded to the field hospitals.

“The raids claimed the lives of more than nine martyrs and wounded many more, including women and children. There were very serious cases among those wounded, which meant that the death toll may well rise. Activists noted that a number of martyrs are still unidentified because their bodies were burnt”.

Most of the victims of the airstrike had reportedly fled earlier from violence in the city of Daraa.

Orient News gave the highest death count of 14 civilians with 31 more wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

male killed
male killed

The victims were named as:

Child male While most sources identified him as a child, the Syrian Network for Human Rights listed him as a nurse. killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 14
  • (1–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–31
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Video showing the airstrike targeting Tafas village in the suburbs of Daraa, 5th June 2017. (via HFL)
  • A car destroyed in an airstrike on Taftas, June 5th (via Umayyapress)
  • Translation: 'Russian enemy airliner commits a massacre of civilians in the city of Taftas in the countryside of Daraa, which killed at least 9 martyrs and wounded more than 25 others' 5th June 2017.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: '12 civilian martyrs, including two children and a girl and about 30 injured in massacre caused by Russian raids'. 5th June 2017.
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Taftas, 5th June 2017. (via SCD)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 14
  • (1–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–31
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]