Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3175

Incident date

March 5, 2018

Location

كفربطنا, Kafar Batna, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.514529, 36.374577 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a major civilian harm incident, up to 23 civilians – 21 of whom were named – were killed and as many as 40 others were wounded in air, artillery, and rocket strikes  on the residential vicinity of Kafar Batna, local media reported. Sources blamed both the Syrian regime and Russia for the airstrikes. The strikes reportedly struck a market and civilian neighbourhoods.

According to the Smart News Network, “The civil defense said on its Facebook page that the initial toll of the victims of Russian air strikes on the popular market and residential neighborhoods in Kafarbatna was 20 people  killed and 40 wounded, including women and children. Tcivil defense teams managed to evacuate the largest number of injured.” The source added that activists said the death toll had risen to 22.

@SiegeWatch reported that the strikes “killed dozens of civilians today while UN aid convoy was in #EasternGhouta. Among the victims was Dr. Ahmad al-Wahba, head of a dental clinic in Kafr Batna.”

As well as the 21 named victims, another two unidentified adult males were reported to have been killed, according to the Violations Documentation Centre, who blamed “Syrian government and affiliated militias”.

Halab Today noted “continuous air raids” on the city.

The strikes reportedly occurred during the night.

Syria noor put the death toll as high as 23, reporting that the shelling – which included rockets, artillery, as well as airstrikes – hit  “the area of ​​production in the center of the town”.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male head of a dental clinic killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Child male killed
Child male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    21 – 23
  • (1 child22 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Mohammed Arafa, killed in airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via Syria.Care.Arabic)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mohammed Arafa, killed in airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via Syria.Care.Arabic)
  • An injured child in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via @SiegeWatch)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured civilians in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via @SiegeWatch)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured civilians in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via @SiegeWatch)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of the airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via @TRTArabi)
  • Members of the ciivl defence pull bodes from the rubble in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via @HalabTodayTV)
  • An injured child in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafar Batna, 5th March 2018. (via @SiegeWatch)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    21 – 23
  • (1 child22 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]