Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3317

Incident date

March 20, 2018

Location

سقبا, Saqba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.519286, 36.382427 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that 18 civilians were killed by alleged Russian or Syrian regime forces near a cemetery in the city of Saqba, Damascus governorate, on March 20th, 2018.

@AJA_Syria tweeted that “Syrian executed 18 civilians on the ground near the cemetery of the city of Saqba, Ghouta, Damascus.”

Other sources also reported that civilians were killed by Syrian regime ground troops, but the Syrian Network for Human Rights wrote that 18 civilians had been killed “at the hands of the Syrian/Russian regime forces”. Hence, this incident is rated as contested.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Saqba (سقبا), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.519286, 36.382427. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

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
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]