Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2969

Incident date

February 3, 2018

Location

سراقب, Saraqeb, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859101, 36.797731 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 3, 2018, up to five civilians were killed and several more were left wounded following alleged Russian or Syrian Regime airstrikes in Saraqeb, Idlib, local media reported.

Saraqeb had reportedly been subject to several aerial attacks in the previous days and local activists told al-Araby that “the city is being burned by intensive air strikes.”

The majority of sources pointed to Russian warplanes as responsible. For example, Zaman al-Wasl reported how Saraqeb Russian warplanes that carried out “more than 30 raids.”

However, a handful of sources attributed blame to the Syrian regime, while Shaam News Network said that both Russia and the Assad regime were behind the strikes.

Finally, Step News Agency, who did not apportion blame, merely reported about the use of “rocket-propelled grenades” indicating ground-launched artillery shelling.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Saraqeb (سراقب), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.859101, 36.797731. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Footage of the contested airstrikes hitting in Saraqeb, Idlib, February 3rd, 2018 (via Edlib Media Center)
  • Footage from the aftermath of the contested strikes in Saraqeb, Idlib, February 3rd, 2018 (via al-Jazeera)
  • The aftermath of the contested strikes in Saraqeb, Idlib, February 3rd, 2018 (via al-Araby)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]