Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2780

Incident date

December 4, 2017

Location

السماقة, Samaqa, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.20000, 37.200000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were killed – including one woman – and seven others were wounded in air and artillery strikes which struck Samaqa, sources on the ground reported. Local media blamed both Russian warplanes and Syrian regime planes for the strikes.

According to ‘Al Latamna Youth gathering’, farm shops or an agricultural factory was hit in the raid. The source said that civilians were working in the shop or factory at the time.

The victims were, according to local media, displaced civilians from Barada village in the countryside of Aleppo.

The wounded were reportedly left in a serious condition due to the intensity of the strikes.

Orient News was the only source to attribute blame to the Syrian regime. It reported that “artillery and missile fire” by the regime, struck not only Samaq but villages of Al-Rehjan, Qasr Ibn Wardan, Zoghbar and Al-Geneina.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the province/governorate of Samaqa (السماقة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.20000, 37.200000. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced being active in unspecified parts of Syria until December 11th, 2017.


Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]