(Previous Incident Code: R2849)

At least seven but as many as 18 civilians, including up to eight children and one woman, were killed and dozens left wounded as Russian and/or Assad forces carried out aerial and artillery shelling of Arbeen, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, as reported by numerous local sources.

In this widely-documented incident, Arbeen was, like the rest of eastern Ghouta, subject  to intense air and ground-launched shelling, especially striking residential areas.

The initial death toll spanned from seven to 11, with many sources reporting four child fatalities. However, the following day, February 21st, The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported that the toll rose to “at least 18 civilians”, including eight children and a woman, while describing the incident as a “massacre”.

A total of eight civilians were identified by name, including one pair of siblings and a female nurse.

According to Damas Press and Moaz ALshami, “dozens” of civilians were left wounded, hereof mostly children as noted by the latter.

Sources were not clear in terms of culpability. While some, such as the Syrian Civil Defence, blamed the Syrian regime, Aleppo AMC and Ghouta Media Center pointed to Russia. Finally, several reports, including SN4HR, attributed blame to both belligerents, while Ahmad Abazeid, as the only one, blamed both the Syrian regime, Russia and Iran.