Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2481

Incident date

September 20, 2017

Location

قلعة المضيق, Kala'at al Madeeq, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.409617, 36.390495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between six and 12 civilians, including between two and three children and two women, were killed and between five and 37 others were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes against the town of Kala’at al Madeeq in central Syria according to local sources.

Smart News initially reported that eight civilians were killed but later increased their estimate of the death toll to 10, however, the Violations Documentation Centre named 12 victims. Some sources said that a popular market was struck.

Conflicting reports were given of who was responsible for carrying out the airstrikes. For example, the Smart News Agency reported that Russian planes were to blame for the airstrikes while Syrian Network for Human Rights identified the planes as Syrian-Russian alliance forces.

According to Smart News, those killed were mostly children and women and at the time of reporting, the Civil Defence teams were still removing dead and wounded from the rubble. The local hospital could no longer take more patients so the wounded needed to go to nearby hospitals. The airstrikes struck a popular market and the old neighbourhood in the town.

At 0’15” in a video posted by Bawabat hama a man says: “We were sitting here and the plane came and hit us. Eight people were killed and god knows how many wounded, I don’t know how many. I mean it’s a really hard situation.”

One local source reported the death of Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who Airwars researchers believe was a member of the civil administration to the Assad regime.

Syrian Coalition reported that the civil defence continued to search for victims the following day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult female killed
Adult female killed
Child female killed
Age unknown male killed
Adult male killed
Child male killed
Adult male killed
Child male killed
Adult male killed
Khawla Hosain Fraijeh
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 12
  • (2–5 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–40
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes, 20th September 2017. (via SN4HR)
  • Members of the Civil Defence transfer civilians to local medical facilites, 20th September 2017. (via Syrian Coalition)
  • Members of the Civil Defence transfer civilians to local medical facilites, 20th September 2017. (via SCD)
  • Images of children, Mirna Khaled al Jadou and Khaled Eyas al Jadou, killed in airstrikes against Kala'at al Madeeq on September 20, 2017 (via Syrian Network for Human Right)
  • Translation: 'Martyrs and wounded in Qal’et Al Madiq as a result of Russian air strikes'
  • Translation: 'Massacre committed by the Russian occupation aircraft as a result of targeting the market of the town of # Qal'at al-Madiq in the countryside of Hama'
  • Translation: 'Today's massacre committed by the Russians in Qlaat al madiq killed dozens of martyrs'
  • The aftermath of the aerial bombardment of Qalaat al Madiq in Sahl al Ghaab in the countryside
  • At 0’15” in this video posted by Bawabat hama a man says: "We were sitting here and the plane came and hit us. Eight people were killed and god knows how many wounded, I don’t know how many. I mean it’s a really hard situation.”
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The tweet reads: "The injured child was transferred from Qal’et Al Madiq to Ma'arat al - Nu'man Please post the picture to someone you may know The child is lonely."
  • A tweet showing names of victims: "Mirna Iyyas Al Jadou’ (girl) Khaled Iyyas Al Jadou’ (boy) Manar wife of Hussain Farija Khawla daughter of Hussain Farija Ayham Al Sous/ Al Hassan Mahmoud Mustafa Al Hallak"
  • Rescue attempts by the White Helmets following the strike.

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

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 12
  • (2–5 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8–40
  • 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 (31) [ collapse]