Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3062

Incident date

February 22, 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

In what was described as “endless” bombing of Douma, Damascus, up to 34 civilians, including children and women, were killed and dozens left wounded, as reported by local media, who blamed either the Assad regime or joint Assad/Russian forces.

As eastern Ghouta continued to be under heavy shelling, Smart News Agency reported how “the Syrian regime and Russia continue their intensive bombardment of various types of weapons on the eastern towns and villages of Al-Ghouta in the Syrian capital Damascus.”

The bombardement in Douma was described as particular heavy on this day. Smart News Agency said that the bombardment of residentital areas in Douma had been intense since the early morning hours.  Also, several media, such as Enab Baladi reported how “more than 150 rockets” had been launched in the city.

The death toll spanned from eight, as reported by al-Jazeera, to as many as 34, as reported by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR).

Many sources reported that children and women were among the fatalities and in SN4HR’s final update, it reported that out of the 34 victims, seven were children and nine were women. SN4HR identified one of the female victims by name.

Also, several sources, such as Zaman al-Wasl and Hadi Abdullah, reported how “dozens” were left wounded, including children.

While no-one pointed exclusively to Russian culpability, several reports, such as Smart News Agency,  Enab Baladi and SN4HR, blamed joint Russian/Assad forces.

Though, some, including Hadi Abdullah and LCCSY, only blamed Assad forces.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Adult female member of Local Development and Small Businesses Office in Eastern Ghouta killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 34
  • (7 children9 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    24

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Footage from Douma, Damascus, in the immediate aftermath of the contested strikes on February 22nd, 2018 (via al-Marshad)
  • The civil defence evacuating a wounded boy in the immediate aftermath of the contested strikes in Douma, Damascus, February 22nd, 2018 (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic footage of one of the child fatalities, reportedly killed in the contested shelling of Douma, Damascus, February 22nd, 2018 (via Ammaa94)
  • Bodybags of some of the many fatalities, reportedly killed in the contested shelling of Douma, Damascus, February 22nd, 2018 (via Moaz al-Shamy)
  • The civil defence evacuating civilians in the immediate aftermath of the contested strikes in Douma, Damascus, February 22nd, 2018 (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Two child victims of the contested shelling in Douma, Damascus, February 22nd, 2018 (via LCCSY)
  • A rescuing team discovers the body of a child victim in the rubble following the contested shelling of Douma, Damascus, February 22nd, 2018 (via Syrian Civil Defence)

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 34
  • (7 children9 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    24

Sources (18) [ collapse]