Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2580

Incident date

October 30, 2017

Location

البوليل, Al-Bouleil, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.20253, 40.37126 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between ten and 18 civilians were killed, including at least one woman, during aerial shelling of al-Bouleil, Deir Ezzor, local sources reported, though it was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime was to blame.

Many sources reported simultaneously about airstrikes in both the towns of al-Bouleil and Toub that day, reporting a total of 22 to 25 casualties, including a family of seven, as noted by @abdulrahmanhaaj.

Regarding the specific figures from al-Bouleil, reports spanned from ten to as many as 18 civilian deaths, the higher death toll reported by @WmCWofaEmTYeTGr.

Several sources said that ten men were included in the fatalities and that these victims had been detained due to military service by ISIS. According to Euphrates Post, for example, “more than ten young men had been detained lately by ISIS for the purpose of forced conscription. They were killed in a raid on the house in which ISIS was detaining them.”

Five of the victims were identified by name, including a 23-years-old woman. Two of the victims died days after the incident from the wounds they had sustained. 

@WmCWofaEmTYeTGr added that 75 houses were “completely destroyed” following the strikes. Meanwhile, Euphrates Post reported the use of cluster bombs.

While the large majority of the sources identified Russia as the responsible, the incident remains contested as Insaan Rights Watch, Baladi News and DeirEzzor24 questioned the culprit, reporting that the incident was carried out by Russia or the Syrian regime. Moreover, DeirEzzor24 added that the Syrian regime and Russia in recent days had intensified the aerial shelling of several areas in Deir Ezzor.

Finally, it should be mentioned that one source, DeirEzzor24, reported on October 2nd that the strikes took place “this morning”. However, all the remaining sources said that about the strikes on October 1st.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
23 years old female killed
Age unknown male nicknamed Abu Ghassem killed
Adult male died a week after the incident from the wounds he sustained killed
Adult male died two weeks after the incident from the wounds he sustained killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 18
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (38) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Footage of the Russian or Assad warplanes in the skies of Al-Bouleil, Deir Ezzor, October 1st, 2017 (via @WmCWofaEmTYeTGr)
  • Image associated with the the aerial shelling in Al-Bouleil in Deir Ezzor, October 1st, 2017, however, the source does not clarify the location and it could be a generic image (via @amsiiraq)
  • On October 13th, Obeid al-Jaloud al-Shuhaili reportedly died from the wounds he sustained in alleged Russian or regime shelling of Al-Bouleil, Deir Ezzor, October 1st 2017 (via Euphrates Post)

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 October 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
    10 – 18
  • (1 woman3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (38) [ collapse]