Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3324

Incident date

March 21, 2018

Location

كفر بطيخ, Kafr Batikh, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.781729, 36.72122 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In what sources on the ground referred to as “a horrific massacre”, up to 22 civilians, between 16 and 19 of them children, were killed and dozens more civilians were wounded in airstrikes by alleged Russian aircraft in Kafr Batikh. Local sources told New Arab that a Russian warplane bombed the school of the village with four airstrikes.

Sources told Al Araby news that the first raid targeted the school and caused material damage and injuries among the students. The warplane then returned to bomb the school a second time while the children were fleeing the building. The children ran to hide in a cave, which was dug previously to allow them to shelter during air raids. A third raid then targeted the shelter, which resulted in more civilian deaths.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “at least 20 civilians (17 children and 3 women) killed as suspected Russian warplanes fired a missile on a shelter of residents, under the ground, near a school in the centre of Kafr Batikh village in Idlib governorate eastern suburbs, on March 21, 2018.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noted that about 15 of those killed were part of the Qassoum family. Three other young girls were part of the Aslan family. The SOHR also reported that at least 16  children were aged between 2 and 11 years old.

@RamadanSyria reported that among the victims were the three sisters Mariam (8), Afaf (7) and Bara’a Saleh Aslan (9). Batoul Mohammad Qassoum (4) was killed alongside her brother Omar (3) and Ghofran (2).

The Syrian Human Rights Committee reported the airstrikes took place in the morning, and caused significant damage to civilian homes.

According to the Syrian Civil Defence, it took their teams more than five hours to recover all the bodies of victims from underneath the rubble.

Whereas nearly all sources reported that Russia had been responsible for the airstrikes, the Syrian Human Rights Committee blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Strike target
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 22
  • (16–19 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (42) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (37) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018. (via Edlib Media Centre)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018. (via Edlib Media Centre)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018. (via Edlib Media Centre)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Edlib Media Centre).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Edlib Media Centre).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Edlib Media Centre).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead child in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Edlib Media Centre).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Edlib Media Centre).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Edlib Media Centre).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Edlib Media Centre).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil Defence volunteers are removing bodies from underneath the rubble after the airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil Defence volunteers are removing bodies from underneath the rubble after the airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).
  • Batoul, Ghufran, and Omar Qassoum, killed in airstrikes, March 21st 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @aboalhodaalhoms).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @aboalhodaalhoms).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @Wesal_TV).
  • Man carrying one of the killed victims after airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @Wesal_TV).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers pulling bodies from underneath the rubble in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @Wesal_TV).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers pulling bodies from underneath the rubble in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @Wesal_TV).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @Omar_Madaniah).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @ANews_Arabic).
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @tahaasi3).
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @tahaasi3).
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @tahaasi3).
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Arab 48).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Report by Orient TV on the location of the airstrikes in Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018.

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    Report by Al Jazeera Mubasher on the location of the airstrikes in Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018.
  • Report by France 24 Arabic on the location of the airstrikes in Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via The Syrian Human Rights Committee).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Bawaba Idlib on Facebook).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Bawaba Idlib on Facebook).
  • Photo's of the victims of the airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via @RamadanSyria).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead children in the aftermath of airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018 (via Baladi News).
  • Report by Orient TV Arabic of March 22th 2018 on location of the airstrikes in Kafr Batikh on March 21st 2018.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of Syrian Civil Defence volunteers pulling bodies underneath the rubble after the airstrikes on Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Report by SyriaTV on the location of the airstrikes in Kafr Batikh, March 21st 2018.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Strike target
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19 – 22
  • (16–19 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (42) [ collapse]