Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3000

Incident date

February 8, 2018

Location

كفرسجنة, Kafr Sajneh, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5261134, 36.5813398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime waged shelling of Kafr Sajneh in Idlib killed up to three civilians, including children and women, and wounded up to six children, local media reported.

Local reports varied in terms of the death toll, though most agreed that both children and women were among the victims.

Smart News cited local activists who said that unidentified warplanes had launched raids in the centre of the village, killing a pregnant woman and a man, while also wounding three children.

Meanwhile, Hish Media Center reported that three people were killed; two women and one child, and that additionally six children were wounded.

Other sources reported that the strike claimed two fatalities, both children.

Sources were unclear in terms of culpability. While the majority, including the Syrian Network for Human Rights and al-Araby, pointed to Russia, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights attributed blame to regime warplanes. And finally, Idlib24 pointed to both Russia and the Syrian regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kafr Sajneh (كفرسجنة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.5261134, 36.5813398. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Wounded children following the alleged Russian shelling of Kafr Sajneh, Idlib, February 8th, 2018 (via Omar Madaniah)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

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.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]