Incident Code

RS3503

Location

غصم, Ghasam, Daraa, Syria

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R3297)

Up to 22 civilians including children, a woman and a civil defense volunteer were killed and others injured in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ghasam in Dara’a, Syria on June 30th, 2018, according to local sources. The sources also added that it was difficult to count the numbers of those killed and injured because of the heavy shelling.

@SyriaCivilDefe mourned their volunteer Adnan Mohamed who got killed in this incident. “With great sadness and sorrow, the Syrian civil defense mourns the volunteer Adnan Mohamed who died after Ghasam in the eastern countryside of Dara’a was bombed with barrel bombs this morning.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said “Adnan Mohammad al Khalaf al Abeid, a civil defense member, from Sahwet al Qameh village in Dara’a governorate eastern suburbs, was killed as Syrian regime helicopters dropped several barrel bombs on Ghasam village in Dara’a governorate eastern suburbs, as he was rescuing victims of previous bombing, what led to a massacre, on June 30th, 2018.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that a woman was also killed. “At least six civilians, including a woman, were killed as Syrian regime helicopters dropped several barrel bombs on Ghasam village in Dara’a governorate eastern suburbs, on June 30th, 2018.”

Dara’a Martyrs page said that a school used as a shelter for IDPs was bombed in the attack. “Helicopters of the regime forces targeted a school inhabited by displaced persons in the village of Ghasam in the eastern countryside of Dara’a, as part of the military campaign being launched on all cities and towns of the eastern countryside of Daraa, in conjunction with the targeting of the town of Ghasam with artillery shelling, and one of the explosive barrels that fell on the school located on the outskirts of the town of Ghasam. Ten people were killed, including a woman, three children, and a member of the civil defense.”

Al Jazeera reported that “According to preliminary information, 15 people were killed in heavy raids on the towns of eastern Daraa countryside, including ten in the town of Ghasam alone, which was a destination for the displaced from other areas in the countryside of Dara’a.”

Al Wan news raised the death toll saying that “22 civilians were killed, including women and children, and dozens were seriously wounded, as a result of the regime’s helicopters ’bombing today, Saturday, of residential neighborhoods in the town of Ghasam, in the eastern countryside of Dara’a. Local media reported that the regime’s helicopters dropped about six barrel bombs on the city’s neighborhoods, causing extensive damage to residential buildings.”

The head of the Local Council of the town told SMART Agency that “the aircraft dropped two large bombs on the town, one targeted a gathering of displaced people, killing 22 civilians and wounding others who sought a nearby hospital. He added that  the second bomb did not cause casualties, but caused severe damage to nearby houses, and the death of a number of livestock.”

Dara’a Martyrs documentation Page reported that regime helicopters dropped a barrel bomb on a shelter in Ghasam on this day in a statement. Other sources blamed Russian forces, for example Al jazeera, @AJABreaking, Local Coordination Committees of Syria and Shaam Network. Other sources blamed both Russia and the regime, like Step agency.

Victims

Invidivuals

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
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
1–22
1 Child, 1 Woman, 1 Man
Civilians reported injured
20

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)