(Previous Incident Code: R3088)

Up to 16 civilians were reported killed including children in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ein Tarma on March 17th, 2018, according to local media sources. 12 were children and four women are believed to be among those killed. Victims also included multiple members of three families. Sources said the attacks encompassed airstrikes, barrel bombing, artillery, and rockets.

SMART Agency reported ” Aerial bombing of warplanes likely to be Russian on the town of Ein Tarma ,Saturday, March 17th, 2018, killing 16 civilians. Among the victims is a whole family of a mother, four children and six other children. The cities and towns of the eastern Ghouta have been subjected to a military operation by the regime forces and their loyal militias with Russian air support since mid-February, causing the death and injury of hundreds of civilians and damage to the infrastructure, despite UN Resolution 2401 on a 30-day truce in Syria and the lifting of the siege on cities and towns including al-Ghouta.”

@SyriaTwitte said “The death of 16 people from Jobar neighborhood, including 11 children, as a result of the targeting of Ain Tarma.”

Enab Baladi said that “Dozens of casualties occurred as a result of Assad’s forces targeting the city of Ain Tarma with explosive barrels and rocket launchers, and its teams worked to evacuate casualties from the area, according to the Civil Defense Organization in Eastern Ghouta.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) blamed regime forces, saying that “At least six civilians, including four children were killed as Syrian regime helicopters dropped several barrel bombs on Ein Tarma town in Eastern Ghouta east of Damascus suburbs, on March 17, 2018”.

A belligerent affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was also killed in the strike.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime for this incident in which barrel bombs were used, however most sources blamed solely Russian forces for that including Al Modon, Syria TV, @Wesal_TV, @Omar_Madaniah, SMART News, Local Coordination Committees in Syria and Marsad Al Hasaka.

Many sources balmed Russia for this incident including Al Modon, Syria TV, @Wesal_TV, @Omar_Madaniah, SMART News, Local Coordination Committees of Syria and Marsad Al Hasaka. However, several other sources including Enab Baladi and Erem News reported that the airstrikes were launched by Syrian regime affiliated forces.