Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3038

Incident date

February 19, 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

As many as nine civilians, including two children and one woman, were killed and at least one civilian was wounded as the Syrian regime and/or Russia carried out air and artillery shelling of Douma, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

As several sources reported, large parts of eastern Ghouta, including Douma, were subject to heavy shelling around February 19th, 2018.

Arab48, blaming the Syrian regime, described the situation as “a new escalation of the regime’s forces”. In Douma, Safeildeyn tweeted that the city had been subject to “eight attacks by the city since morning”.

The death toll spanned from three to as many as nine – the latter reported by Orient News’ correspondent. Several reports, including Syrian Network for Human Rights, reported three fatalities; two children and one woman. A photo of one of the child victims, a small baby, was published by some sources.

According to al-Jazeera, at least one civilian was left wounded.

However, sources were not clear in terms of apportion of blame. Most reports blamed the Syrian regime, pointing to aerial shelling from its warplanes and helicopters, while Hasan Mustafa also blamed the regime for launching surface-to-surface missiles.

Meanwhile, Marshad al-Hassaka blamed Russia in general terms for carrying out heavy shelling of eastern Ghouta, however without mentioning Douma specifically.

Finally, several reports blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime, including Safeildeyn.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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
    3 – 9
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A baby child was among the fatalities of the contested shelling of Douma, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via Safeildeyn)
  • The immediate aftermath of the contested shelling of Douma, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via Hasan Mustafa)
  • The moment an explosive barrel is being dropped from an unidentified helicopter flying over Douma, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via Douman)

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
    3 – 9
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]