Incident Code

RS2855

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R2662)

Between two and six civilians including a child died and “a large number” more were wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime air or artillery strikes on Arbeen, according to sources on the ground.

Alraafed, cutting the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported  “the killing of 12 civilians, including two children in Hmouriyeh, and three others in Arbin”.

Enab Baladi appeared to blame regime. It said that “warplanes launched raids on Harasta, Arbeen, Madara, Misraiba, Ein Tirma and Zamalek, totaling 70 air strikes. The air raids on the city of Arbeen killed two people and wounded, and a school went out of service as a result of targeting.”

According to the Smart News agency, a child was among those killed. This source blamed regime air and artillery strikes.

Other sources pointed to Russia or to both the regime and Russia. For example, according to Gate-ahram, “Syrian and Russian warplanes didn’t leave the eastern skies of Al-Ghouta on Saturday [Jan 6th] and there were more than 65 raids, 37 of them on the city of Harasta and 13 air raids on the town of Arbeen ”

Erbenhospital put the death toll at five with 30 more people wounded.

 

 

Victims

Family members (3)

Adult male VDC blamed "Air bombardment of the Syrian government and its affiliated militias"
Adult male VDC blamed "Air bombardment of the Syrian government and its affiliated militias"
male VDC blamed "Air bombardment of the Syrian government and its affiliated militias"

Invidivuals

Age unknown male killed
Ahmed Abdullah Kawka
Age unknown male killed
Eid Barber
Age unknown killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
2–6
1 Child
Civilians reported injured
5–30

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Arbeen (عربين), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.538143, 36.364331. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (7)