Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Between two and four civilians, including one child and one woman, were killed and at least one child was wounded following alleged Assad or Russian-waged aerial shelling of Saqba, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.
According to local reports, the incident in Saqba was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this was the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.
While HalabTodayTV reported two fatalities, other sources reported three and four. For example, the Syrian Press Center reported that four civilians were killed by one airstrike. SOHR also reported four victims, including one woman. Additionally, SOHR reported that “areas” of Sabqa was subject to aerial shelling, indicating more than one strike.
The only victim identified by name was the three-months-old child Ibrahim, the son of a White Helmet volunteer, Saaed, as depicted below, reported by Hadi Abdullah.
While no sources reported the number of wounded, the incident inflicted great damage on residential houses, and according to videos and photos, several civilians, including at least one child, were left under the rubble.
All sources besides Masrawy News reported about aerial shelling. However, because Masrawy News reported about both aerial shelling and missile attacks in eastern towns Ghouta on February 6th, it is possible that ground-launched weaponry also caused civilian harm.
Finally, it remains unclear who is to blame. While most sources, including SOHR and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, identified the Syrian regime as responsible, Damascus Media Center pointed to Russia.
Meanwhile, LCCSY pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the town of Saqba (سقبا), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.519286, 36.382427. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (12) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]
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This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
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The moment the contested airstrikes hit Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
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The moment the contested airstrikes hit Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
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Child stuck in the rubble of his home following the contested airstrikes hit Saqba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via SN4HR)
Russian Military Assessment:
Original strike reports
Russia has not reported any strikes between February 1st - 28th 2018.