Incident Code

RS3433

Location

أريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81374, 36.60964
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R3233)

Two children and a woman were killed by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on May 15th 2018, according to local sources. An unknown number of civilians was wounded.

The Syrian Civil Defence reported that the children Bara’ah Haj Ali (aged 6) and Rayan Haj Ali (aged 12) were killed in alleged Syrian regime airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods in Ariha. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the two girls were siblings.

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria wrote that a woman had also died in the airstrikes, also blaming the Syrian regime.

According to Ariha Today however, Russian warplanes targeted the town at exactly 10:16 AM, destroying a residential house completely. Hashtag Revolution stated that the alleged Russian airstrikes occurred in the eastern part of the town.

Idlib Media Center and Orient News reported that an unknown number of civilians had been injured. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that some of the injured remained in a critical condition.

Sources mentioned the use of rockets and missiles.

Photos of the incident showed Syrian Civil Defence volunteers searching the rubble to rescue the wounded and recover the bodies of those killed.

Victims

Family members (2)

6 years old female killed
12 years old female killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Contested strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
2–3
2 Children, 1 Woman
Civilians reported injured
2

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ariha (أريحا), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.81374, 36.60964. 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

Media From Sources (15)