Incident Code

RS3317

Location

سقبا, Saqba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.519286, 36.382427
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 18, 2025

(Previous Incident Code: R3112)

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.

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Strike Status
Contested strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Civilians reported killed
18

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.

Military Statements

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