Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2985

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

دوما, Douma , Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this incident, described by many sources as a “massacre”, up to 31 civilians, including up to eight children and 11 women, were killed and “dozens” wounded, as Russian and/or Assad warplanes struck the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta, Damascus.

According to local reports, the incident in Douma was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. In fact, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) called strikes in eastern Ghouta on February 6th “the largest Syrian massacre in 53 days.”

In Douma, the lowest reported death toll was seven while the Syrian Network for Human Righth (SN4HR) reported as many as 31 fatalities, including four children and 11 women. SOHR said that eight children were among the fatalities.

In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, Ammar Alhassan noted that “a whole family is still under the ruins of Douma”.

DMC identified the name of one male victim who was killed along with his wife. However, it should be noted that DMC, reporting on February 6th, said that the couple was killed by strikes in Douma “yesterday.”

It should be noted that while most sources only mentioned airstrikes, Mohammed Wahd, Smart News Agency and SN4HR also reported about artillery shelling. For example, SN4HR reported about both “warplanes and artillery, missiles and shells.”

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Most of the sources who identified a culprit pointed to the Syrian regime. Among these were Daily Sabah News, SN4HR and Smart News Agency.

However, LCCSY pointed, as the only one, to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The remaining sources did not apportion blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Age unknown male killed
Age unknown female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Douma (دوما), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.5714804, 36.4033699. 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
    7 – 31
  • (4–8 children1–11 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The contested strikes left large parts of Douma, Damascus, completely destroyed with many civilians buried under the rubble on February 6th, 2018 (via Bilal Abu Salah)
  • Civil Defence members arriving to the scene following the contested strikes in Douma, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Diaa DOuman)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civil Defence members arriving to the scene following the contested strikes in Douma, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Syria Civil Defense)
  • Aftermath of the contested strikes in Douma, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Smart News Agency)

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
    7 – 31
  • (4–8 children1–11 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 (15) [ collapse]