Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS2993

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

حرستا, Harasta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55869, 36.36515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian, allegedly a child, was killed by an Assad or Russian waged assault in the town of Harasta, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

According to local reports, the incident in Harasta 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.

Multiple sources mentioned that one civilian was killed, who, according to SOHR, was a child.

The Damascus Media Center published images of how smoke from the airstrikes rose from, what they reported, were residential buildings.

While most sources reported about aerial shelling, Masrawy News reported that in addition to the airstrikes, 15 surface-to-surface missiles had also been launched in several towns, including Harasta.

Almost all sources, including Masrawy News and SOHR, attributed blame to the Syrian regime. However, Russian culpability cannot be excluded as LCCSY pointed to both “Russian and Assad raids”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Smoke rising from Harasta following the contested airstrikes in Harasta, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
  • Smoke rising from Harasta following the contested airstrikes in Harasta, Damascus, February 6th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)

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
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]