Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2983

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three and as many as 13 civilians, including two women, were killed and “dozens” others wounded, local media reported after the city of Arbeen, Damascus, was subject to air and artillery strikes. Sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The incident, described as a “massacre” by several sources inflicted heavy damage and destruction to large parts of the city leaving many civilians trapped under the rubble.

While reports spanned from three fatalities to 13, as reported by the Syrian Civil Defence, most sources reported the death of seven civilians that also counted two women.

For example, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported “at least seven civilians, including two women, killed as Syrian regime warplanes fired missiles on Irbeen city in Eastern Ghouta east of Damascus suburbs, on February 6, 2018.”

The numbers of wounded spanned from two to “dozens” according to Abo Alhuda, who also mentioned that most of the wounded were children and women.

It should be noted that while all sources reported about airstrikes only, al-Arabiya mentioned both “artillery shelling and raids.”

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Two sources, Abo Alhuda and SN4HR attributed blame to the Syrian regime while LCCSY pointed to Russian culpability.

The remaining sources did not apportion blame.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 13
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Footage from the scene during and after the contested strikes in Arbeen, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Smart News Agency)
  • Footage from the scene during and after the contested strikes in Arbeen, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Smart News Agency)
  • The Civil Defence trying to rescue civilians from under the rubble following the contested strikes in Arbeen, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Step News Agency)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Some of the many victims of the contested strikes in Arbeen, Damascus on February 6th, 2018(via Abo Alhuda)
  • Many civilians were trapped under the rubble following the contested strikes in Arbeen, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Aftermath of the contested strikes in Arbeen, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Alaa Alahmad)
  • The immediate aftermath of the contested strikes in Arbeen, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Mohammed Abazeed)

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 type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 13
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]