Incident Code

RS2986

Location

كفر باتنة, Kafr Batna, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.514529, 36.374577
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R2790)

Between four and seven civilians, including one child and one woman, were killed and up to 80 more civilians were wounded as Russian and/or Assad warplanes struck the town of Kafr Batna, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

According to local reports, the incident in Kafr Batna was one of many lethal aerial incidents on that day in eastern Ghouta and was by many described as a massacre.

DMC News said that the strikes hit a popular market in the town and other sources mentioned that the strikes hit residential areas.

The death toll spanned from four to seven, the highest reported, among others, by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) who reported that one child was among the fatalities.

Al-Araby, who reported five fatalities said that one woman and one child were among the victims.

Some sources reported “a number of wounded” while Smart News Agency reported as many as 80, reportedly including women and children.

The incident reportedly included both airstrikes as well as ground-launched artillery. As the field activist, Omar al-Khatib, told al-Araby that the massacre carried out by the Syrian military aircraft by firing rockets.

Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. Most of the sources who identified a culprit pointed to the Syrian regime. Among these are SN4HR, al-Araby and Smart News Agency.

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

The remaining sources did not apportion blame.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
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
4–7
1 Child, 1 Woman
Civilians reported injured
2–80

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Kafr Batna (كفر باتنة), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.514529, 36.374577. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
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

Media From Sources (6)