Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2737

Incident date

November 17, 2017

Location

حرستا, Harasta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55869, 36.36515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

As many as seven civilians were killed and dozens more were wounded in air and artillery strikes on Harasta, according to local media. Sources blamed both Russian warplanes and Syrian regime artillery shelling for the strikes.

One source reported that “missile targeted residential neighbourhoods in the city of Harasta”.

Another added that “missiles carrying cluster bombs, in addition to the bombing of rocket launchers and an intensive flight of reconnaissance aircraft [were seen] in the skies of the region.”

The artillery shelling of “Harasta” and “Duma” coincided with raids carried out by the warplanes and also hit the cities and towns of “Arabin, Director, Saqba, and Hamouriya.”

Harsta side of the work of the civil defence team to evacuate the injured after intensive artillery shelling on the residential neighbourhoods in the city

There was much damage to civilian property.

The number of air strikes targeting the city today were reportedly as many as 25 air strikes with six night raids.

One source reported that about 25 people, including women and children, were injured as a result of the direct targeting of houses.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Amjad al - Najjar
Child killed
Mother of Amjad
Adult female killed
Al-Hajj-Marwan Hasoun
Age unknown killed
Marwan Hasoun
Adult male killed
Ahmad al-Najjar
Child male killed
Abo Ziad
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Harasta (حرستا), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.55869, 36.36515. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1–5 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–25
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of air and artillery strikes. (via @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Marwan Hasoun, killed in air and artillery strikes, Nov 2017. (via VDC)
  • Marwan Hasoun, killed in air and artillery strikes, Nov 2017. (via VDC)

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1–5 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–25
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]